THE  JESUIT 


BY 

FELICIA  BUTTZ  CLARK 


New  York:    EATON  &  MAINS 
Cincinnati:  JENNINGS  &  GRAHAM 


Copyright,  1908,  by 
EATON  &  WAINS. 


CONTENTS 


PAOB 

Chapter  I i 

Chapter  II 14 

Chapter  III 19 

Chapter  IV 33 

Chapter  V 40 

Chapter  VI 50 

Chapter  VII 60 

Chapter  VIII 71 

Chapter  IX 86 

Chapter  X    102 

Chapter  XI 112 

Chapter  XII 126 

Chapter  XIII 139 

Chapter  XIV 153 

Chapter  XV 173 

Chapter  XVI 187 

Chapter  XVII 192 

Chapter  XVIII 205 

Chapter  XIX 216 

Chapter  XX 234 

Chapter  XXI 243 

Chapter  XXII 253 

Chapter  XXIII   266 

Chapter  XXIV 272 


iii 

on 


76 

- .  ^) 


CHAPTER  I 

IT  was  the  time  of  the  vintage  in  Rome.  Grapes 
hung  in  full  purple  clusters  in  the  vineyards  around 
the  villas  on  the  Roman  Campagna,  where  clouds 
chased  each  other  to  and  fro,  tossed  by  the  light 
breezes  of  late  September,  and  cast  fitful  shadows 
on  the  withered  grass  of  the  wide  fields. 

In  a  garden  belonging  to  a  monastery  on  one  of 
the  Seven  Hills  from  which  Rome  surveyed  the 
world  long  years  ago,  and  proclaimed  herself  mis- 
tress, the  terraced  rows  of  grapevines  were  laden 
with  luscious  fruit.  A  Franciscan  monk,  in  coarse, 
brown  garb,  was  perched  on  the  top  of  a  ladder 
in  the  middle  of  one  of  the  straight  avenues,  covered 
by  trellises  through  which  the  afternoon  sun  sifted 
gaily.  Leaning  comfortably  against  the  wooden 
railing,  the  monk  cut  off  the  clusters  of  fruit  with 
his  long  scissors,  and  dropped  them  into  a  basket 
fastened  to  his  ladder.  This  he  did  with  the  utmost 
care,  so  that  he  should  not  mar  their  beauty  nor 
injure  their  symmetry.  Being  a  lover  of  the  lovely 
in  nature  or  art,  Brother  Antonio  detested  imper- 
fection in  anything.  He  lifted  an  especially  fine 
cluster  and  held  it  out  into  a  broad  band  of  sun- 
light, that  he  might  thoroughly  enjoy  its  rich  purple 
color,  the  faint  down  upon  the  grapes,  and  the  regu- 
lar form  of  the  fruit. 

I 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Fit  for  the  gods !  "  he  exclaimed  aloud.  "  On 
this  very  spot,  two  thousand  years  ago,  Pan  would 
have  plucked  thee  and  eaten  thee,  while  his  pipe  lay 
idle  yonder  against  the  gnarled  trunk  of  some  gray 
tree." 

"You  old  heathen!  Talking  about  the  ancient 
gods  of  Rome  here  in  the  heart  of  modern  civiliza- 
tion," interrupted  a  fresh,  clear  voice. 

As  calmly  as  if  he  had  not  been  startled  by  this 
sudden  interruption  to  his  train  of  thought,  Fra 
Antonio  gently  laid  the  bunch  of  grapes  in  the 
basket  beside  its  fellows,  and,  parting  the  large 
leaves  of  the  vine  which  so  closely  covered  the  trel- 
lises, looked  down  into  the  eager  young  face  which 
was  upturned  toward  him. 

"  What  dost  thou  want  ? "  he  asked,  gruffly, 
though  his  eyes  twinkled.  "Is  not  this  thine  hour 
in  the  infirmary?" 

"  As  I  am  so  soon  to  leave  the  Monastery,  I  am 
released  from  that  duty.  Brother  Anselmo  takes 
my  place,  at  his  own  request.  Throw  me  down  a 
bunch  of  grapes,  please,  good  Brother  Antonio." 

"'Good  Brother  Antonio!'"  mocked  the  old 
monk.  Apparently  moved  by  the  appeal,  Fra  Antonio 
selected  the  smallest  of  the  clusters  still  left  hanging 
on  the  vine  and  dropped  it  into  the  slender  white 
hands  extended  to  receive  it. 

"  Um-m !  "  responded  the  voice  below.  "  If  you 
cannot  do  better  for  me  than  this,  I  shall  help 
myself." 

2 


THE    JESUIT 

So  saying,  he  stretched  his  strongly  built  figure 
higher  and  broke  off  the  fruit  which  he  desired, 
remaining  deaf  to  the  remonstrances  of  the  monk 
on  the  ladder,  who  had  now  thrown  back  his  hood 
and  stood  plainly  disclosed  to  view.  His  scant  hair, 
around  the  shaven  crown,  was  quite  gray;  his 
features  were  rugged,  browned  from  exposure  to 
the  sunshine  of  the  south.  His  eyes  were  brown 
and  singularly  lustrous,  and  his  mouth  was  wide, 
thin-lipped,  yet  kindly. 

"  The  baby  of  the  Monastery ! "  he  remarked, 
satirically. 

"  Precisely  so.  The  grapes  are  excellent,  thank 
you,  Brother  Antonio."  He  drew  nearer  to  the 
ladder.  "  Do  you  know  when  Padre  Veroni  will 
return  ?  " 

The  question  was  put  in  a  half-whisper,  and  the 
old  monk  replied  with  the  same  caution,  and  with 
a  total  change  of  expression,  as  he  leaned  down 
from  his  perch. 

"  In  a  few  days,  I  believe.  Personally,  I  have 
not  heard  anything  from  him  since  he  left  Rome. 
Fra  Antonio  is  too  humble  a  being  for  him  to  re- 
member. But  this  morning,  as  I  was  passing 
through  the  long  corridor,  I  heard  our  Superior 
say,  *  Yes,  Padre  Veroni  is  due  at  Naples  today 
and  will  soon  come  to  Rome.' ' 

"Today!" 

"  Precisely." 

There  was  a  leer  of  curiosity  on  Fra  Antonio's 

3 


THE    JESUIT 

face  and  a  catlike  stealthiness  in  his  voice  as  he 
said :  "  I  wonder  that  thou  comest  to  me  for  infor- 
mation. Thou  wast  ever  his  pet  and  favorite 
among  us  all.  Whatever  the  rest  of  us  might  do, 
Paolo  could  do  no  wrong;  Paolo  was  perfect  and 
beyond  reproach." 

"Don't,  Brother  Antonio!"  pleaded  Don  Paolo, 
reaching  up  to  grasp  the  horny  hand  upon  the 
ladder. 

Fra  Antonio's  expression  softened.  "  I  ask  thy 
pardon,  boy,"  he  responded,  shortly.  "  Thou 
knowest  that  I  love  thee — we  all  do — but  some- 
times things  hurt,  especially  when  one  grows  old 
and  white-haired.  Satisfy  my  curiosity.  Why  is 
it  that  thou,  who  wast  once  so  dear  to  Padre  Veroni, 
has  fallen  into  disfavor?  Has  he  never  written  to 
thee?" 

"  Once  only.  Addio,  Brother  Antonio,"  and  be- 
fore the  monk  could  protest  Don  Paolo  was  away, 
his  black  robes  mingling  with  the  dark  vines  and 
the  neutral  tints  of  the  tree  trunks. 

Fra  Antonio  returned  to  his  work.  "  I  might 
have  known  that  he  would  not  tell  me,"  he  mut- 
tered. "  A  more  close-mouthed  lad  never  came  to 
this  Monastery  in  all  the  years  I've  been  here.  And 
yet  I've  loved  the  boy — who  could  help  it?  What 
could  have  caused  the  trouble  between  them  ?  Padre 
Veroni  educated  him,  spent  hours  with  him  every 
day,  taught  him,  if  I  may  be  forgiven  for  speaking 
after  the  manner  of  the  world,  taught  him  the 

4 


THE    JESUIT 

secrets  of  the  trade;  and  of  secrets  the  good  father 
knows  not  a  few;  petted  him,  spoiled  him.  And, 
behold,  a  year  ago  he  goes  off  to  America  without 
bidding  his  favorite  good-by,  and  does  not  unbend 
enough  even  to  let  him  know  when  he  intends  to 
return.  Verily,  this  is  a  queer  world,  a  very  queer 
world." 

Shaking  his  tonsured  head  sadly  at  the  peculiar- 
ities of  human  beings,  Fra  Antonio  fastened  up 
his  brown  gown  that  he  might  not  trip  on  it,  de- 
scended the  ladder  slowly,  and  carried  his  basket 
of  purple  grapes  to  the  kitchen  of  the  Monastery, 
reserving  for  himself  the  one  perfect  cluster  which 
he  had  so  greatly  admired. 

Frou-Frou,  the  green  parrot  with  a  red  crest, 
hooted  at  him  from  his  post  on  the  branch  just  out- 
side the  kitchen  door,  and  croaked  out  a  hoarse 
"  Buon  giorno,"  in  return  for  which  greeting  Fra 
Antonio  threw  the  bird  a  grape,  which  it  caught 
deftly  in  its  hooked  beak.  Paying  no  attention  to 
the  request  for  more,  the  monk  drew  his  brown  robe 
closely  around  him  and  went  away  to  his  cell. 

Don  Paolo  passed  out  from  beneath  the  arch  of 
shadow  formed  by  the  grape  arbor  and  went  on 
through  the  garden,  between  ilex  trees  of  extreme 
age,  twisted  and  gnarled  by  the  ravages  of  time 
and  weather,  between  rose  trees  on  which  a  few 
belated  roses  of  summer  still  lingered,  or,  falling 
to  pieces  at  the  slight  jar  of  his  footsteps,  dropped 
fragrant  petals  on  the  well-worn  path.  Finding 

5 


THE     JESUIT 

his  way  through  flowers  and  trees,  past  bubbling, 
laughing  fountains  he  went,  until  he  came  to  a  wall 
half-hidden  under  an  ivy  vine,  a  stocky  growth  of 
a  century  or  more.  Leaning  his  elbows  on  the  wall, 
he  feasted  his  eyes  on  the  scene  spread  out  before 
him:  on  Rome,  with  her  towers  and  domes,  her 
palaces,  her  hovels,  her  beauty,  and  her  wickedness. 
Far  beneath  flowed  the  river  Tiber,  sluggishly  mov- 
ing, like  a  mighty  animal,  toward  her  goal,  the 
gay,  blue  Mediterranean.  Sitting  down,  at  last,  on 
an  old  stone  bench  near  by,  the  young  priest  became 
absorbed  in  a  book  which  he  drew  from  beneath 
his  gown.  So  interested  was  he  that  he  did  not 
notice  the  approaching  footsteps,  and  lifted  his  eyes 
with  a  dazed  expression  as  a  shadow  fell  across  the 
white  page.  Startled  at  the  unexpected  presence  of 
the  Superior  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  for  an 
instant  aroused  to  a  sense  of  fear,  he  made  an  effort 
to  conceal  the  book  which  he  had  been  reading. 
Then  throwing  back  his  head,  he  boldly  faced  the 
stern  man,  who  looked  straight  into  his  eyes. 

When  the  Superior  spoke  his  tone  was  cool  and 
smooth,  with  that  quality  in  it  which  suggests  highly 
tempered  steel,  capable  of  cutting  keenly,  deeply, 
direct  to  the  heart. 

"  Don  Paolo  is  growing  more  literary  in  his 
tastes.  I  loved  him  better  when  he  spent  more 
time  on  his  knees  in  the  chapel,  and  fewer  hours  in 
company  with  heretical  authors  who  poison  the 
mind  and  pervert  the  imagination.  This  company 

6 


THE    JESUIT 

which  he  loves  drives  him  to  seek  secluded,  sheltered 
places,  where  he  may  enjoy  their  society  without 
fear  of  interruption. 

The  steel  cut  deep,  indeed,  into  the  soul  of  the 
priest.  Don  Paolo  drew  a  deep  breath,  turned 
pale  and  trembled.  It  was  no  small  matter  to  be 
accused  of  heresy  by  the  Abbot  of  one  of  the  largest 
monasteries  in  Rome,  a  monastery  where  he  had 
passed  almost  all  his  life.  It  might  mean  a  great  deal 
to  a  priest  just  entering  on  his  career,  as  he  was 
going  out  into  the  world  to  make  a  name  for  him- 
self. A  bishopric,  or  even  a  cardinal's  hat  may 
loom  up  in  a  vision  before  the  mind  of  a  man  be- 
ginning the  life  of  the  active  priesthood,  and  Don 
Paolo  knew  that  he  felt  within  him  the  germs  of  a 
powerful  ambition.  The  disapproval  of  the  Abbot 
could  easily  bring  to  him  loss  of  position,  of  con- 
fidence, of  all  that  was  dear  to  him,  all  that  could 
help  him  in  the  future  which  lay  before  him,  bright 
and  alluring.  A  taint  of  heresy  would  ruin  all,  and 
Paolo  Gregori  was  but  a  man,  in  spite  of  his  priestly 
garb,  a  man  with  ambitions  and  hopes.  No  wonder 
that  he  trembled  in  the  presence  of  one  who  held 
his  future  in  his  power  as  one  holds  a  precious  glass 
bauble  which  may  be  dashed  at  will  into  a  thousand 
pieces.  Yet  there  were  other  things  to  be  considered. 
The  young  priest's  mind  had  long  been  agitated  on 
other  questions.  How  far  was  it  right  for  a  man 
to  be  enslaved  to  his  religion?  To  what  extent  is 
a  man  a  free  agent?  These  thoughts  flashed  like 

7 


THE    JESUIT 

lightning  through  his  mind,  but  from  force  of  habit 
he  lowered  his  glance  submissively. 

"  What  art  thou  reading?  " 

He  meekly  handed  the  parchment-covered  volume 
to  the  Superior. 

"  Renan,  eh  ?  Well,  it  might  be  worse.  All 
young  men  go  through  these  years  of  uncertainty 
and  doubt.  They  have  the  disease  as  sure  as  they 
suffer  in  childhood  from  measles  and  whooping 
cough."  He  smiled  dryly. 

Don  Paolo  bowed.  "  Tell  me,"  he  said,  for- 
getting the  difference  between  the  Abbot  and  him- 
self, "  tell  me,  what  is  truth  ?  Where  can  I  find 
it?  I  seek  it  in  prayer,  and  cannot  find  it.  I  say 
mass  before  the  altar,  and  my  heart  is  not  enlight- 
ened. There  must  be  truth,  divine  truth,  some- 
where !  Help  me  to  find  it !  " 

It  was  the  bitter  cry  of  a  soul  longing  for  the 
light,  a  cry  uttered  ages  before,  echoing  back  and 
forth  in  the  darkness  of  human  life  and  suffering. 
It  touched  even  the  narrow  consciousness  of  the 
Abbot.  He  laid  his  hand  kindly  on  the  young  man's 
shoulder. 

"  It  is  an  old  question,  boy.  Thousands  of  men 
have  sought  to  solve  it." 

"  And  have  they  always  failed  ?  " 

There  was  no  avoiding  the  earnest  glance  of 
those  eyes  which  held  his  so  potently. 

"  These  matters  are  fortunately  not  in  our  hands. 
The  Church,  our  mother,  has  decided  all  questions 

8 


THE    JESUIT 

according  to  the  wisdom  of  the  fathers.  Our 
responsibility  ends  there.  We  can  rest  quietly, 
trusting  to  the  wisdom  of  those  who  are  wiser  than 
we  are,"  he  replied,  smoothly.  The  judgment  of 
the  Church  had  always  been  sufficient  for  him.  Why 
should  it  not  be  for  this  priest,  so  young  and  inex- 
perienced ? 

Don  Paolo  clenched  his  hands  tightly.  The 
Church!  Since  his  childhood  he  had  relied  on  her 
for  his  soul's  salvation.  He  felt  within  him  the 
stirring  of  an  independent  nature;  he  wanted  to 
know  for  himself. 

"  Doesn't  God  know  ?  "  he  whispered,  with  in- 
tensity. 

The  Abbot  shivered  in  spite  of  his  strong  will 
and  his  habitual  self-control.  "  Thou  art  nervous 
and  overwrought,"  he  said,  kindly.  "  We  will  dis- 
cuss this  at  another  time.  Padre  Veroni  will  be 
here  tomorrow,"  he  added,  irrelevantly. 

"  So  I  have  heard." 

"  Has  he  written  to  thee?  " 

"  One  letter  has  come  to  me  during  his  absence, 
and  that  referred  only  to  some  business  matters 
which  were  in  my  hands.  It  is  evident  that  he  is 
still  angry  with  me  for  daring  to  cross  his  will.  I 
am  very  sorry,  but  it  cannot  be  helped." 

The  two  men  still  stood  by  the  ivy-covered  wall, 
as  they  had  stood  ever  since  the  beginning  of 
their  unusual  conversation.  The  sun  was  setting 
gloriously.  The  figure  of  the  priest  in  his  black 

9 


THE     JESUIT 

gown,  assumed  but  a  short  time  before,  was  sil- 
houetted against  the  rose  color  in  the  heavens. 
Susceptible  in  his  very  soul  to  the  influence  of 
nature,  Don  Paolo  breathed  heavily  as  he  watched 
the  constant  changes  in  the  ever-varying  masses  of 
clouds,  the  quick  transformation  from  rose  to  blood- 
red,  and  again  to  brilliant  saffron,  from  purple  to 
dull  gray,  while  the  delicate  blue  of  the  sky  altered 
to  pale  green  and  lemon,  as  the  ball  of  fire  sank 
suddenly  to  rest.  All  the  time  the  question  he  had 
asked  repeated  itself  in  his  brain.  Doesn't  God 
know  where  a  man  may  find  truth?  He  who  made 
the  soul,  who  fashioned  the  mind,  who  endowed 
his  creation  with  the  power  to  think  and  reason,  could 
he  not  hold  communion  with  that  which  belonged  to 
himself  by  birthright  ?  If  he  revealed  his  mysteries 
to  the  fathers  of  the  Church  ages  before,  why  not 
reveal  them  to  men  of  this  later  age?  Had  not  a 
man  the  power  to  decide  some  things  as  an  indi- 
vidual? Conscious  of  his  doubts  and  rebellious 
feelings  toward  a  system  which  had  regulated  his 
actions  and  thoughts  ever  since  he  could  remem- 
ber, he  watched  the  last  glow  of  the  rose  and  flame 
die  away. 

The  Abbot  paid  little  attention  to  the  sunset: 
his  thoughts  were  concentrated  on  the  man  beside 
him.  As  a  boy  of  ten,  he  had  come  to  the  Monastery 
to  study;  there  he  had  remained  all  through  his 
youth.  It  could  not  be  possible  that  now,  just  as  he 
arrived  at  manhood,  when  a  brilliant  career  lay  be- 

10 


THE    JESUIT 


fore  him,  he  would  be  drawn  away  from  the  faith 
by  strange  doctrines  and  heresies.  The  Abbot  was 
a  man  of  experience  and  knew  men  well.  He  could 
perceive  the  signs  of  unrest  and  mental  disturbance. 
A  feeling  of  desire  to  be  independent  of  the  Church, 
to  act  for  himself,  to  judge  for  himself — these  were 
symptoms  of  that  graver  disease,  heresy.  Padre 
Veroni  had  noticed  these  signs  in  Don  Paolo  before 
he  left  Rome.  Knowing  how  the  boy  loved  and 
respected  him,  the  shrewd  Jesuit  priest  had  tried  to 
rebuke  him  by  withdrawing  his  affection  and 
appearing  to  neglect  his  protege.  Well,  tomorrow, 
Padre  Veroni  would  come.  He  was  wise  in  the 
ways  of  the  world  and  would  know  how  to  act. 
Don  Paolo  was  talented,  highly  educated,  and  with 
unusual  gifts  in  speech.  He  must  not  be  lost  to  the 
Church. 

"  Thou  wilt  remain  for  supper,"  said  the  Su- 
perior, as  they  walked  toward  the  Monastery  in  the 
purple  shadows  of  twilight,  which  falls  so  suddenly 
in  southern  lands. 

The  Abbot  entered  the  long  refectory  on  the 
ground  floor,  and  passed  between  the  lines  of  monks 
to  his  special  place  at  the  end  of  the  room.  Large 
lamps  shed  a  mellow  glow  over  a  scene  which  was 
more  than  picturesque.  A  high  vaulted  ceiling, 
bare  whitewashed  walls,  relieved  only  by  two  paint- 
ings of  saints  conspicuous  in  the  calendar,  long 
tables  ranged  beneath  the  iron-barred  windows,  and 
the  monks  gowned  in  brown  cloth,  with  cords 

ii 


THE    JESUIT 

around  their  waists,  rosaries  at  their  sides,  and  with 
tonsured  heads,  standing,  quietly  waiting — this  was 
the  picture  presented  by  the  refectory  which  had 
been  used  by  the  Franciscans  for  two  hundred  years 
and  more.  It  was  a  fast  day,  and  Don  Paolo  knelt 
on  the  stone  floor  near  Fra  Antonio,  while  he  ate 
the  lentil  soup  and  drank  a  portion  of  sour,  red 
wine.  Immediately  after  the  completion  of  the 
simple  meal,  the  priest  passed  with  the  monks  into 
the  chapel,  kneeling  down  in  the  shadow  of  a  tall 
pillar. 

The  few  candles  on  the  altar  accentuated  the 
gloom  of  the  evening.  The  voice  of  the  Abbot  and 
the  responses  of  the  monks  echoed  back  hollowly 
from  the  arches  above.  Don  Paolo  joined  mechanic- 
ally in  the  responses,  but  his  soul  was  deeply  moved. 
He  was  no  longer  satisfied  with  the  doctrines  of  the 
Church;  he  was  a  seeker  after  truth,  reaching  out 
blindly  to  grasp  a  guiding  hand.  Feeling  helpless 
and  alone,  he  bent  forward  until  his  forehead 
touched  the  mosaic  of  the  pavement.  A  less  con- 
scientious man  would  have  dismissed  the  doubts 
and  fears;  Don  Paolo  could  not  do  this  and  retain 
his  self-respect.  Yet  he  knew  that  although  the  Abbot 
might  be  kind  to  him,  he  was  already  regarded  with 
suspicion ;  and  suspicion  meant  distrust  and  danger. 
It  was  as  if  a  dark  pit  opened  before  him,  a  pit  of 
disgrace  and  suffering.  Knowing  this,  he  still  sought 
to  learn  more  of  divine  truth.  In  what  way  would 
God  disclose  it  to  him? 

12 


THE    JESUIT 

Later  he  went  to  the  reception  room  of  the 
Superior.  "  At  what  time  will  Padre  Veroni  re- 
turn tomorrow  ?  "  he  inquired. 

The  Abbot  reread  the  telegram  which  lay  on  the 
desk  in  front  of  him.  "At  2:10,  by  the  express 
from  Naples.  It  would  be  well  if  thou  shouldst  go 
to  the  station  to  meet  him." 

"  I  will  do  so,"  Don  Paolo  replied,  quietly. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  Lapeers  had  met  Padre  Veroni  on  the 
steamer,  soon  after  they  sailed  from  New  York  for 
Naples.  By  the  time  they  were  safely  seated  on  the 
express  train  which  carried  them  swiftly  toward  the 
city  of  the  Caesars  the  awe  which  they  had  felt — 
particularly  Mrs.  Lapeer — in  being  in  daily  contact 
with  a  real  priest  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
had  perceptibly  diminished.  Having  lived  all  her 
life  in  a  strictly  Protestant  circle,  her  only  knowl- 
edge of  that  Church  being  through  her  servants  who 
went  frequently  to  mass  and  attended  confession 
with  praiseworthy  regularity,  Mrs.  Lapeer  had  felt 
considerable  constraint  at  first  in  the  presence  of  the 
tall  priest. 

Padre  Veroni  occupied  the  seat  on  the  right  of 
the  captain,  and  as  Fay  Lapeer  sat  next  to  him, 
and  Mrs.  Lapeer  and  Janet  occupied  the  opposite 
places,  it  was  inevitable  that  acquaintance  should 
ripen  as  a  tropical  plant  grows  in  the  sunshine — 
with  extraordinary  rapidity. 

When  Padre  Veroni  decided  that  he  would  go 
to  Rome  on  the  very  train  which  the  Lapeers  had 
selected,  there  was  general  rejoicing.  Fay  confided 
to  Janet  that  there  was  no  one  who  could  give  so 
much  information  or  prove  so  entertaining  as  the 
priest,  and  that  she  considered  him  "perfectly 


THE    JESUIT 

lovely,"  an  opinion  which  amused  Janet  greatly 
and  would  have  afforded  Father  Veroni  much  enter- 
tainment, had  he  heard  it,  for  special  reasons  of  his 
own. 

"  Yonder  you  can  see  Saint  Peter's,"  said  Padre 
Veroni,  pointing  out  the  blue-gray  dome  which 
stood  clearly  defined  against  a  cloudless  sky. 

"  It  doesn't  look  very  large,"  suggested  Fay 
Lapeer. 

Padre  Veroni  smiled  as  he  looked  down  into 
her  bright  face.  The  girl  was  of  good  height,  but 
the  priest  towered  above  her,  his  stature  accentuated 
by  the  straight  lines  of  his  black  cassock. 

"  It  marks  the  greatest  and  holiest  spot  in  Rome," 
he  replied,  "  and  it  is  and  ever  will  be  the  center 
around  which  the  life  of  the  city  and  of  the  world 
circles,  a  center  for  Catholics  and  Protestants  alike. 
Beneath  that  dome  Saint  Peter's  body  rests,  and 
near  there  our  Holy  Father  lives;  from  that  spot 
go  forth  influences  which  mold  the  world,  which 
control  and  guide  the  movements  of  nations,  the 
decision  of  kings." 

It  was  dramatic,  and  yet,  though  he  spoke  with 
warmth,  the  priest  showed  no  visible  excitement. 
Although  an  Italian,  his  command  of  the  English 
tongue  was  almost  perfect,  much  of  his  life  having 
passed  in  countries  under  English  domination.  A 
very  slight  accent,  a  rolling  of  the  "  r  "  or  a  broad 
fullness  given  to  a  vowel,  only  added  to  his  general 
attractiveness. 

15 


THE    JESUIT 

"  I  thought  it  had  never  been  proved  that  Saint 
Peter  was  in  Rome,"  responded  Janet's  calm  voice. 
Fay  said  that  there  were  times  when  Janet's  calm- 
ness ceased  to  be  a  virtue  and  became  exasperating. 
This  was  one  of  the  times,  evidently,  for  Padre 
Veroni's  face  flushed  slightly. 

"  I  was  not  aware  that  the  matter  was  open  to 
discussion,  since  Saint  Peter  was  the  first  Bishop 
of  Rome,"  the  priest  replied,  blandly. 

There  was  a  painful  pause.  Janet  bit  her  lip 
to  keep  back  the  impetuous  words. 

"  Saint  Peter's  is  the  largest  church  in  the  world, 
I  understand,"  Mrs.  Lapeer  said,  with  a  timid  at- 
tempt to  relieve  the  situation. 

A  gleam  of  amusement  lighted  the  priest's 
black  eyes  and  the  tense  expression  which  his  own 
words  and  those  of  Janet  had  brought  to  his  face 
vanished. 

"  You  will  find  the  measurement  of  the  various 
cathedrals  which  are  noted  for  their  size  marked 
on  the  pavement  of  Saint  Peter's,  Mrs.  Lapeer,"  he 
responded,  courteously.  "  It  has  always  been  a 
unique  fact  that  you  Americans  think  more  about 
size  than  beauty  or  historical  interest,"  he  continued, 
but  noticing  that  Mrs.  Lapeer  was  annoyed  by  this 
criticism,  he  quickly  added,  with  that  tact  which  so 
characterized  Padre  Veroni,  and  so  fascinated  those 
who  came  in  contact  with  him :  "  This  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at  when  one  considers  the  immense  pros- 
perity and  extent  of  your  beautiful  land.'" 

16 


THE    JESUIT 

"  We  are  coming  into  the  station ! "  exclaimed 
Fay,  eagerly. 

Very  soon  the  party  of  three  ladies,  followed  by 
the  priest,  left  the  train  with  the  bustling,  hurrying 
crowd,  and  were  hospitably  welcomed  by  the  porter 
of  the  hotel-pension,  where  they  had  reserved  rooms. 

As  they  passed  out  of  the  long  station  a  young 
priest  emerged  from  a  throng  of  persons  who  were 
waiting  at  the  entrance  and,  to  the  astonishment  of 
Janet,  lingering  behind  her  mother  and  Fay,  respect- 
fully removed  his  broad-brimmed  beaver  hat  and 
kissed  the  thin  white  hand  held  out  to  him  by  Padre 
Veroni. 

Since  entering  Rome  Padre  Veroni  seemed  to  be 
a  different  man.  The  customs  and  manners  of  his 
people  enveloped  him  as  with  a  garment.  Only  a  few 
hours  before  he  had  been  Americanized,  Anglicized. 
Now  he  became  Italian,  polite,  and  ceremonial  to 
the  last  degree.  Janet  marveled  at  the  change, 
which  her  mother  and  Fay  did  not  notice,  being  too 
much  interested  in  the  objects  of  interest  pointed 
out  by  him:  the  splendid  fountain,  at  whose  dedi- 
cation Pope  Pius  IX  made  his  last  public  appear- 
ance, "before  he  entered  his  prison,  the  Vatican," 
the  priest  explained;  the  magnificent  ruins  of  the 
once  stately  Baths  of  Diocletian,  where  five  thou- 
sand Romans  could  luxuriously  bathe  at  one  time; 
the  palace  of  Queen  Margherita,  the  mother  of 
Victor  Emmanuel,  king  of  Italy,  "  a  gracious  lady, 
who  was  as s good  a  Catholic  as  her  husband,  King 


THE    JESUIT 

Humbert,   had  been  a  bad  one,"   commented  the 
priest. 

Janet  was  too  inexperienced  to  know  that  even 
the  air  of  Rome  is  full  of  mystery,  of  subtle  changes 
and  weird  influences  which  alter  the  character  and 
point  of  view  of  those  who  yield  themselves  to  it 
as  surely  and  as  quietly  as  the  waves  of  the  sea 
modify  the  coast  line  of  a  country.  Rome,  the 
mysterious,  the  wonderful,  casts  her  fascination 
over  native  and  foreigner  alike,  often  entangling 
their  minds  and  even  souls  in  a  web  so  filmy,  so 
gauzy,  that  one  does  not  realize  his  bondage  until 
he  is  caught  tightly  in  the  threads. 


18 


CHAPTER  III 

THE  Speranza  was  a  pension  of  high  grade  and 
price.  Padre  Veroni  would  not  have  recommended 
it  to  Mrs.  Lapeer  if  he  had  not  first  adroitly  drawn 
from  her  information  which  assured  him  that  she 
was  fully  able  to  pay  well  for  comfort  and  even 
luxury.  The  evenings  spent  on  the  deck  with  these 
ladies  had  been  fruitful,  for  Mrs.  Lapeer  was  guile- 
less and  confiding.  Before  the  steamer  was  three 
days  out  from  New  York  the  priest  was  in  pos- 
session of  facts  which  were  of  interest  to  him. 
Padre  Veroni  was  a  priest  and,  furthermore,  a 
member  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  that  organization 
which  has  made  and  unmade  kingdoms,  whose 
power  is  felt,  not  seen,  which  rules  with  a  rod  of 
iron,  which  commands  and  its  members  must  obey. 
He  had  been  trained  in  a  school  which  produces 
men  who  are  astute,  keen  in  their  judgment  of  per- 
sons, ready  to  turn  everything  to  the  advantage  of 
the  Church  whose  interests  they  are  bound  to  pro- 
tect. Having  been  taught  that  the  end  justifies  the 
means,  Padre  Veroni  thought  it  no  harm  to  induce 
Mrs.  Lapeer  to  open  her  mind  to  him,  to  allow  him, 
entirely  without  her  own  volition,  to  probe  the 
depths  of  her  soul. 

He  had  learned  of  her  childhood,  surrounded  by 
the  protection  of  loving  parents;  of  her  marriage 

19 


THE    JESUIT 

to  a  man  who  humored  every  whim ;  of  the  fortune 
which  her  father  left  her,  and  her  lucky  speculation 
in  Chicago  property ;  of  her  husband's  sudden  death, 
whereby  she  was  left  mistress  of  a  large  amount  of 
money,  diminished  only  by  legacies  to  Janet  and 
Fay  which  made  them  independent.  He  learned 
of  the  advantageous  offers  of  marriage  which  both 
girls  had  already  received  and  refused,  and  he  ascer- 
tained how  deeply  Mrs.  Lapeer  longed  to  have  them 
marry  into  distinguished  and  even  titled  families. 
Her  love  for  them,  sincere  and  unselfish,  bred 
visions  of  dukes  and  princes  on  their  knees,  offering 
coronets  to  her  daughters. 

It  was  after  one  of  these  conversations,  during 
which  neither  Janet  nor  Fay  had  been  present,  that 
Padre  Veroni  paced  the  deck  for  an  hour,  deep  in 
thought,  and  decided  that  this  was  a  case  where  pres- 
entation to  the  "Holy  Father"  would  be  desirable, 
together  with  the  gift  of  tickets  to  the  coming  cele- 
bration of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  Pius  IX's  pro- 
mulgation of  that  new  dogma,  the  "Immaculate 
Conception  of  the  Virgin  Mary."  Mrs.  Lapeer's 
soul  might  be  benefited  thereby.  To  be  sure,  she 
had  informed  him  that  they  were  all  members  in 
good  and  regular  standing  in  a  prominent  Protestant 
church  in  Clyde,  near  Chicago,  where  their  country 
home  was;  but  he  had  assured  her  that  it  would 
be  a  pleasure,  really,  a  pleasure,  to  assist  her  in 
seeing  something  of  the  inner  life  of  the  Church  in 
Rome.  He  hinted  that  he  knew  a  cardinal  and  one 

30 


THE    JESUIT 


or  two  archbishops  who  were  equally  impartial  in 
their  views,  and  Mrs.  Lapeer  had  glowed  with  pride 
when  he  suggested  that  an  introduction  from  him 
would  open  the  doors  of  the  palaces  of  the  "Blacks," 
or  clerical  circles,  to  her  beautiful  daughters.  When 
Padre  Veroni  mentioned  the  Speranza  as  a  pension 
which  was  eminently  respectable,  on  the  verge  of 
aristocracy,  where  a  lady  could  receive  visitors  who 
frequented  the  inner  and  most  sacred  circles  of 
Roman  society,  Mrs.  Lapeer  at  once  resolved  to 
secure  rooms  there. 

It  occurred  to  her,  later,  that  Padre  Veroni  had 
not  intimated  that  he,  too,  would  be  a  guest  here, 
and  she  was,  consequently,  surprised  to  see  him 
seated  at  a  small  table  alone.  At  the  close  of  din- 
ner the  priest  joined  them  and  guided  them  into 
a  drawing  room,  brilliantly  lighted  by  electric  bulbs 
in  an  old  Venetian  glass  chandelier,  a  combination 
which  impressed  Janet  as  peculiar  and  not  pleas- 
ing. 

"  They  ought  to  have  candles  in,"  she  said,  in- 
tending to  speak  to  Fay,  whom  she  supposed  to  be 
near  her. 

"  I  quite  agree  with  you,"  said  a  melodious  voice 
at  her  side,  and  she  turned  to  face  a  woman,  not 
much  older  than  herself,  dressed  in  the  somber  garb 
of  a  widow.  "  Very  poor  taste,"  continued  the 
stranger,  "  but  it  is  typical  of  a  land  where  ancient 
ruins  stand  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  modern 
buildings,  and  where  one  stumbles  upon  interesting 

21 


THE    JESUIT 

statues  in  the  most  incongruous  places.  O,  Padre 
Veroni,  I  am  delighted  to  see  you  back  in  old 
Rome!" 

The  priest  smiled  as  she  extended  to  him  an  un- 
usually small  and  beautifully  formed  hand,  which 
he  grasped  cordially. 

"  The  pleasure  is  mine,  Lady  Eger.  Is  it  not 
rather  early  for  you  to  be  in  our  city  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  am  a  month  ahead  of  my  usual  time,  but 
Rome  draws  me;  I  cannot  stay  away." 

Lady  Eger  lowered  her  voice  as  she  spoke,  and 
the  priest  replied,  sympathetically :  "  I  understand 
— I  understand.  People  cannot  remain  far  from 
Rome  when  they  have  once  felt  her  fascination; 
and  if  foreigners  are  so  affected  by  it,  can  you  not 
imagine  how  we  feel,  we  who  are  so  fortunate  as 
to  possess  her  for  our  birthright  ?  " 

Scarcely  realizing  why  she  did  so,  Janet  had 
lingered  near  and  had  listened  to  the  conversation. 
Overcome  by  a  sense  of  her  rudeness,  for  she  saw 
that  the  priest  and  the  lady  were  old  friends,  she 
would  have  moved  away.  Padre  Veroni  detained 
her  by  a  touch  on  the  arm. 

"  Lady  Eger,  I  want  to  present  to  you  a  young 
American  lady,  Miss  Janet  Lapeer,  from  Chicago, 
a  fellow-passenger  of  mine  on  the  Arcania,  to- 
gether with  her  mother  and  sister." 

"  They  are  the  two  standing  yonder  by  the  table, 
are  they  not?  The  beautiful  girl  in  white  is  your 
sister?  I  have  already  exchanged  views  with 

22 


THE    JESUIT 

Miss  Lapeer  on  the  subject  of  that  tasteless  com- 
bination of  Venetian  work  of  art  and  our  gray 
electric  illumination.  I  foresee  that  I  shall  like 
Miss  Lapeer,  if  we  begin  by  disliking  the  same 
things." 

Padre  Veroni  joined  some  acquaintances  who 
claimed  his  attention,  and  Lady  Eger  continued, 
vivaciously:  "Let  us  sit  down  here  in  these  two 
easy  chairs  and  be  comfortable.  Would  you  like 
a  cup  of  coffee?  Yes?  I  thought  so.  Giovanni, 
bring  two  coffees — or  perhaps  your  mother  and 
sister  will  join  us — Giovanni,  four  coffees!  Mind 
you  bring  it  strong !  " 

Janet  was  dazed  and  scarcely  caught  her  breath 
before  she  found  herself  presenting  her  mother  and 
Fay  to  this  voluble  but  charming  stranger.  Her 
equilibrium  returned  with  her  feeling  of  amuse- 
ment when  she  noticed  the  look  of  awe  with  which 
her  mother  regarded  Lady  Eger.  Mrs.  Lapeer's 
head  swam  a  little.  Was  Lady  Eger  a  baroness, 
or  a  countess,  or  what  ?  Should  one  call  her  "  My 
lady,"  or  would  that  savor  too  much  of  "below 
stairs"?  A  woman  of  good  sense  and  refinement 
rarely  fails  to  do  the  proper  thing  if  she  stops 
to  think,  and  Mrs.  Lapeer  very  wisely  decided 
to  call  her  "Lady  Eger"  and  keep  on  the  safe 
side. 

"  Sugar,  Mrs.  Lapeer?  Two  lumps  or  three?  I 
take  three,  for  it  is  so  bitter  and  strong.  I  think 
Padre  Veroni  told  me  that  you  come  from  Chicago. 

23 


THE    JESUIT 

I  had  a  brother  who  went  to  America  seven  or  eight 
years  ago — Sir  John  Hamilton.  You  don't  re- 
member ever  meeting  him,  do  you  ?  " 

"  No,  I  do  not,"  Mrs.  Lapeer  roused  herself  suf- 
ficiently to  remark.  "I  do  not  remember  ever  meet- 
ing Sir  John  Hamilton." 

"  Well,  possibly  it  was  not  Chicago  he  went  to. 
He  bought  a  ranch  somewhere  out  there,"  she  re- 
plied with  pleasing  vagueness. 

"  There  are  no  ranches  in  Chicago,  or  near  it," 
began  the  irrepressible  Fay,  her  eyes  dancing  with 
fun,  but  Lady  Eger  did  not  stop  to  listen.  She  had 
kept  a  careful  watch  on  Padre  Veroni's  movements, 
and  seeing  that  he  had  risen  to  leave  the  room,  she 
excused  herself  to  Mrs.  Lapeer,  saying  that  she 
would  see  her  in  the  morning,  and  walked  away 
to  join  the  priest. 

A  few  minutes  later,  when  the  three  ladies  passed 
out  into  the  hall  on  their  way  upstairs,  they  saw 
her  in  a  small  library  leaning  forward  eagerly,  her 
piquant  face  illuminated  by  a  circle  of  light  from  a 
shaded  electric  light  on  an  onyx  table.  Opposite 
her  was  Padre  Veroni.  They  were  so  engrossed 
in  conversation  that  they  did  not  notice  the  rustle 
of  skirts  as  the  Lapeers  passed  by. 

It  was  about  nine  o'clock  the  next  morning  that 
Janet  entered  the  drawing  room,  seeking  for  a 
quiet  corner  where  she  could  study  her  Baedeker 
and  lay  out  a  plan  for  the  day's  sight-seeing.  She 
started  back  in  surprise  for  Padre  Veroni  stood  by 

24 


THE    JESUIT 

the  window  talking  with  the  priest  who  had  met 
him  at  the  station. 

"  I  will  go  up  now  and  get  it,"  she  heard  him 
say.  "  Ah,  Miss  Lapeer,  good  morning !  I  hope 
you  rested  well  on  your  first  night  in  Rome." 

"  Very  nicely,  thank  you." 

Padre  Veroni  passed  out  of  the  door.  Then,  as 
if  moved  by  a  sudden  impulse,  he  returned  and  mo- 
tioned to  the  priest  who  still  stood  at  the  window. 

"  Paolo,  come  here.  Miss  Lapeer,  you  desire  to 
know  our  people  as  well  as  our  ruins."  (How  well 
he  had  gauged  her  character.)  "Allow  me  to  in- 
troduce Don  Paolo  Gregori,  canon  of  one  of  our 
best  churches." 

For  the  first  time  in  her  life  Janet  found  herself 
in  a  peculiar  position.  A  young  man,  a  priest,  was 
waiting  for  her  to  say  something,  and  she  did  not 
know  how  to  begin !  How  did  one  talk  to  a  priest  ? 
On  theism?  To  be  sure,  Padre  Veroni  had  been 
both  priest  and  Italian,  but  he  was  older  and  had 
taken  the  initiative. 

Don  Paolo  did  not  appear  to  be  embarrassed, 
for  he  was  looking  at  her  with  an  expression 
of  curiosity.  But  why  did  he  not  say  some- 
thing? 

"  Do  you  speak  English  ?  "  she  finally  ventured, 
in  desperation. 

"  No,  mademoiselle.     I  can  read  your  language, 
but  have  never  had  an  opportunity  to  speak.     If" 
you  do  not  object  to  speak  in  French — " 

25 


THE    JESUIT 

There  was  in  his  manner  an  odd  hesitancy  and 
diffidence  which  set  Janet  at  her  ease. 

It  was  fortunate  for  Janet  that  a  French  govern- 
ess had  guided  her  in  the  intricate  paths  of  verbs 
and  crooked  adjectives,  so  that  she  could  reply  with- 
out embarrassment  in  that  language.  Notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  Don  Paolo's  acquaintance 
with  women  had  been  very  slight,  his  life  hav- 
ing been  passed  in  a  monastery  and  college  for 
priests,  he  felt  no  fear  in  conversing  with  an  Amer- 
ican girl.  He  regarded  her  in  the  light  of  a  novelty, 
a  strange  being  from  another  land,  from  that  coun- 
try across  the  sea  where  so  many  bizarre  actions 
were  constantly  reported  in  the  daily  papers,  where 
women  ruled  and  men  worked  to  keep  them  in 
pretty  clothes. 

"  Mademoiselle  is  an  American  ?  "  he  said,  tenta- 
tively. 

"  Yes.    Have  you  been  in  America  ?  " 

"Alas,  no.  It  has  never  been  my  good  fortune 
to  visit  your  great  country. 

Janet  smiled  with  national  pride  which  was  soon 
to  have  a  fall. 

"  Great  in  extent  of  territory,  in  resources,  and 
in  wealth,  but  not  so  great  as  Italia  is,"  he  con- 
tinued quietly.  "  No  land  on  the  face  of  the  earth 
has  what  we  have  had  for  centuries,  a  grand  history. 
From  us  has  gone  forth  the  best  in  art,  science,  and 
literature.  Look  at  Michelangelo,  Raphael,  and 
Dante;  and,  even  in  modern  times,  at  the  inventors 

26 


THE    JESUIT 

and  scientists,  most  of  whom  are  Italians.  Ah!  we 
have  reason  to  be  proud." 

Janet  gasped  at  this  eloquence.  The  priest  could 
talk  and  talk  well. 

"  I  never  thought  of  that,"  she  remarked, 
ashamed  to  tell  him  how  little  she  knew  of  Roman 
history,  how  the  emperors  were  not  realities  to  her 
but  names  to  be  learned.  Not  for  worlds  would  she 
have  let  him  know  that,  until  she  met  Padre  Veroni, 
she  had  supposed  that  all  Italians  were  like  those 
who  dug  the  ditches  and  laid  the  railroad  ties  in  her 
native  land.  It  was  unpardonable  ignorance  and 
she  blushed  with  shame. 

"  And  in  religion,"  Don  Paolo  went  on,  now  quite 
warmed  up  to  his  subject,  and  forgetting  that  he 
was  talking  to  that  enigma  of  modern  civilization, 
the  American  girl  of  the  period,  "  in  religion,  Italy 
has  been  the  mother.  From  the  steps  of  the  Church 
of  Saint  Gregory,  down  yonder  by  the  Arch  of  Con- 
stantine,  Gregory  the  Great  sent  the  monk  Au- 
gustine forth,  with  a  little  band  of  barefoot  com- 
panions, to  evangelize  England,  a  barbarous  coun- 
try where  men  were  subject  to  Druid  priests  and 
human  sacrifices  were  made  to  their  gods." 

Don  Paolo's  hands  moved  nervously  and,  in  his 
enthusiasm,  his  face  was  lighted  and  his  eyes 
flashed.  Well  had  Don  Paolo  earned  the  title 
"  Silver  tongue  "  from  his  fellow  students ! 

"  And  from  England  it  came  across  the  seas  to 
us,"  rejoined  Janet,  aroused  in  her  turn.  "But — 

27 


THE    JESUIT 

but — England  is  Protestant,  and  so  is  America.  If 
your  Pope  sent  us  the  gospel,  how  is  it  that  we  are 
not  Catholic  today  ?  " 

Don  Paolo  hesitated. 

"  Is  mademoiselle  a  Protestant  ?  Ah,  then  it  is 
well  that  we  do  not  discuss  the  question.  From  my 
standpoint,  I  might  say  something  to  hurt  made- 
moiselle's feelings.  Yet,  if  you  allow  it,  it  would 
afford  me  much  pleasure  if,  one  day,  I  might  hear 
from  you  some  facts  concerning  the  Protestant 
religion,  as  it  is  today.  I  am  interested,"  he 
added,  hurriedly,  for  Padre  Veroni  approached 
them. 

A  few  minutes  later  Janet  stood  at  the  window 
and  watched  the  two  priests  walking  down  the  street 
beneath  the  shadow  of  the  sycamore  trees.  Both 
were  tall,  the  older  man  austere  in  his  appearance, 
the  younger  slender  and  graceful,  in  spite  of  the  dis- 
figuring robes  held  in  by  a  broad  black  sash.  On 
the  other  side  of  the  street  were  at  least  a  dozen 
men  in  scarlet  gowns,  with  black  hats,  and  a  dozen 
more  followed  a  little  distance  behind  them,  and 
still  another  squad,  all  hastening  along  with  books 
under  their  arms. 

"  Like  birds  of  paradise,  aren't  they?  "  remarked 
Lady  Eger.  "  Did  I  startle  you  by  coming  in  so 
quietly?  I  beg  your  pardon,  I  coughed,  but  you 
did  not  hear  me.  No  scene  in  Rome  is  complete 
without  some  of  those  scarlet  students  in  it.  One 
comes  across  them  everywhere,  on  the  Pincio,  on 

28 


THE    JESUIT 

the  Corso,  playing  ball  in  the  Villa  Borghese,  and 
they  always  add  just  the  desirable  touch  of  color." 

"  What  a  lot  of  priests  one  sees  here !  There 
go  some  more,  but  they  have  black  on,  with  blue 
sashes." 

"  Rome  would  not  be  Rome  without  the  priests. 
Those  scarlet  students  are  from  the  famous  German 
college.  You  will  see  where  they  live  some  day. 
You  have  been  talking  with  Don  Paolo,  Miss 
Lapeer.  Sometime  you  must  tell  me  what  you  think 
of  him.  He  is  a  great  favorite  of  mine." 

"  How  did  she  know  I  was  talking  to  Don 
Paolo  ?"  queried  Janet,  mentally.  "  She  was  not 
here." 

"  Good  morning,  Mrs.  Lapeer,"  continued  Lady 
Eger,  vivaciously,  "  and  Miss  Fay,  as  sweet  as  a 
May  morning !  Were  you  going  out  ?  May  I  walk 
a  little  way  with  you?  I  suppose  you  are  going 
first  to  Saint  Peter's,  that  is  the  Mecca  of  all  Eng- 
lish and  American  tourists." 

Mrs.  Lapeer  smiled  and  answered :  "  We  had 
thought  of  going  there  first.  It  is  so  awkward, 
isn't  it,  going  about  in  a  strange  city,  where  one 
does  not  know  the  language?  Both  my  daughters 
speak  French,  which  is  some  help." 

"  A  great  deal.  With  French,  one  can  go  any- 
where. Would  you  care — could  I  be  of  any  assistance 
to  you,  if  I  should  accompany  you  ?  I  do  not  wish 
to  intrude,  and  some  people  prefer  to  do  their  sight- 
seeing alone." 

29 


THE    JESUIT 

There  was  a  pretty  air  of  timidity  in  the  manner 
of  making  this  offer,  and  Mrs.  Lapeer  and  Fay  re- 
plied in  one  voice :  "  We  should  be  delighted  to 
have  you  with  us,  Lady  Eger." 

In  response  to  her  half-shy  glance  at  Janet,  she, 
too,  felt  constrained  to  say :  "  Your  knowledge  of 
the  city  will  be  of  the  greatest  assistance  to  us," 
although  she  felt  that  she  would  have  been  glad  to 
have  the  first  glance  at  the  "  Citta  Eterna  "  alone. 
Lady  Eger's  vivacity  was  a  little  wearisome  to  a 
person  who  wished  to  think  and  dream,  as  Janet 
loved  to  do. 

11  Then,  if  you  do  not  mind  waiting  while  I  pur- 
chase a  new  pair  of  gloves — these  are  positively 
disreputable — we  can  take  a  carriage  afterward  to 
the  church  and  get  home  in  plenty  of  time  for 
luncheon." 

"  That  reminds  me,  girls,  that  we  need  gloves," 
said  Mrs.  Lapeer. 

In  a  few  moments  Fay  was  reveling  in  a  box  of 
white  and  tan  gloves,  holding  up  her  hand  to  have 
them  tried  on,  while  Janet,  who  declared  that  her 
wants  were  supplied  for  the  present,  amused  her- 
self in  watching  the  ever-moving  crowds  on  the 
Via  Nazionale.  One  would  not  see  better  dressed 
women  in  New  York.  And  the  men  were  fine-look- 
ing, although,  as  a  rule,  not  very  tall.  Priests  were 
here,  too,  jostled  by  officers  in  trim  uniform,  peasant 
girls  selling  boutonnieres,  beggars  presenting  boxes 
of  matches  to  the  passers-by,  parties  of  young  ladies, 

30 


THE    JESUIT 

accompanied  by  eagle-eyed  chaperons,  and  blase 
men,  who  sauntered  by,  swinging  their  canes  and 
twisting  their  waxed  moustaches. 

Janet  turned  her  attention  to  the  interior  of  the 
shop  and  found  herself  intently  observing  Lady 
Eger,  who  had  just  drawn  on  a  pair  of  long  black 
suede  gloves,  and  who  was  absorbed  in  consid- 
ering the  weighty  question  as  to  whether  they  were 
a  proper  fit.  Who  was  Lady  Eger,  anyway?  She 
was  an  enigma  to  be  solved.  Janet  assured  herself 
that  the  process  of  solution  would  take  some  time. 
Lady  Eger  talked  a  great  deal  but  said  little. 
Yet  she  was  by  no  means  lacking  in  intelligence. 
Her  black  eyes  were  keen  and  searching,  her  lips 
were  firm  and  her  chin  as  square  as  would  be  be- 
coming in  womankind.  Her  soft  brown  hair  was 
partially  hidden  under  a  widow's  bonnet,  from 
which  hung  a  dainty  black  veil,  in  the  most  correct 
style.  Mrs.  Lapeer  was  small,  but  years  had  added 
to  her  portliness;  Lady  Eger  was  about  the  same 
height,  and  so  slender,  and  delicately  formed  that 
she  characterized  the  word  "  petite."  Her  black 
dress,  relieved  only  by  sheer  linen  bands  at  neck  and 
wrists,  perfectly  fitted  her  well-rounded  form.  She 
was  decidedly  English,  but  there  certainly  was 
French  blood  in  her;  perhaps  only  a  strain  from 
some  grandmother  who  had  been  mistress  of  a 
chateau  on  the  banks  of  the  Loire,  but  who  had 
left  an  inheritance  to  Lady  Eger  of  daintiness, 
grace,  and  attractiveness. 


THE    JESUIT 

Janet  forgot  that  she  was  staring  until  Lady 
Eger  lifted  her  face  from  the  contemplation  of  her 
gloves  and  smiled  at  her.  She  had  been  studying 
Lady  Eger,  and  Lady  Eger  knew  it. 

"  How  do  you  like  them,  Miss  Lapeer  ?  I  think 
they  will  do  very  well.  Now,  shall  we  go?  "  asked 
Lady  Eger,  calmly. 


CHAPTER  IV 

AT  the  great  door  of  Saint  Peter's  Church  a  hush 
fell  upon  them  all.  It  was  so  vast,  this  building 
which  contained  a  wealth  of  art  and  so  many 
treasures  of  the  Church.  Fay  spoke  in  whispers. 
Many  people  were  in  the  church,  but  they  seemed 
to  be  only  a  few,  when  compared  with  the  immense 
nave,  the  tremendous  height  of  the  pillars,  and  the 
awesome  sense  of  space.  The  Lapeers  entered  and 
then  stood,  amazed  at  the  riches  of  decoration,  the 
numberless  statues,  the  exquisite  mosaics,  and  the 
paintings,  all  of  which  were  made  by  the  hands  of 
master  artists.  The  morning  sunshine  penetrated 
a  window  at  the  very  end  of  the  apse,  and  a  shaft 
of  gold  fell  across  the  pavement  and  transformed 
a  marble  figure  on  the  tomb  of  one  of  the  popes 
into  a  creature  of  life,  that  seemed  to  breathe  and 
become  flesh. 

About  a  dozen  people  were  kneeling  in  a  splendid 
chapel  opening  from  a  side  aisle.  Priests  were  cele- 
brating mass.  Their  voices,  as  they  intoned, 
echoed  dully  through  the  high,  arched  spaces.  Mrs. 
Lapeer  and  her  daughters  stopped  just  outside  the 
doorway,  but  Lady  Eger  passed  in  and  sank  upon 
her  knees,  crossed  herself,  and  appeared  to  be 
absorbed  in  her  devotions. 

Fay  exchanged  a  glance  with  Janet  and  raised 
33 


THE    JESUIT 

her  eyebrows.  Janet  was  dumb  with  surprise.  It 
had  not  occurred  to  her  that  Lady  Eger,  an  English- 
woman, was  a  Roman  Catholic.  She  smiled  a  little 
at  her  own  ignorance  and  simplicity.  Why  should 
she  not  be  one?  All  the  English  were  not  Protes- 
tants any  more  than  all  the  Americans  were. 

Her  sensibilities,  strongly  Protestant,  were  to 
have  another  shock,  and  one  from  which  Janet 
could  not  recover  so  quickly.  They  went  slowly 
toward  the  high  altar,  surmounted  by  Bernini's 
Baldacchino,  admiring,  as  they  passed,  the  various 
works  of  art. 

"  Yonder  stands  a  statue  of  the  Empress  Helena, 
the  mother  of  Constantine,  who  found  the  true 
cross  at  Jerusalem  and  brought  a  piece  of  it  back 
to  Rome.  In  the  opposite  niche  is  that  of  Saint 
Veronica,  whose  handkerchief  was  offered  to  our 
Saviour  that  he  might  bathe  the  blood  and  sweat 
from  his  brow,  and  when  he  returned  it  the  hand- 
kerchief bore  the  imprint  of  his  face.  On  festas 
it  is  shown  to  the  people  from  the  balcony  up 
there,"  Lady  Eger  explained. 

Could  it  be  possible  that  she  believed  all  this  ? 

"I  think  that  is  a  beautiful  legend,"  said  Fay, 
enthusiastically.  "  Have  you  a  book,  Lady  Eger, 
where  one  could  read  about  all  these  things?  It 
would  make  them  so  real." 

"  Indeed  I  have.  I  will  get  it  for  you  when  we 
go  back  to  the  pension." 

On  the  right  of  the  nave,  just  before  one  reaches 
34 


THE    JESUIT 

the  high  altar,  stands  a  very  ancient  statue  of  Saint 
Peter.  The  hand  is  upraised  in  benediction,  the 
first  two  fingers  of  the  right  hand  being  extended 
in  precisely  the  same  manner  as  that  used  by  Pope 
Pius  X  when  he  enters  Saint  Peter's  in  state  and 
bestows  his  blessing  upon  the  crowds.  The  face, 
as  well  as  the  body  and  drapery,  is  of  black  basalt 
and  the  head  is  surrounded  by  a  nimbus. 

Janet  and  Fay  watched  the  people,  as  they  came 
forward  to  the  statue  and  kissed  the  toe  of  the  right 
foot,  lowered  their  foreheads  to  touch  it,  and  then 
kissed  it  again,  bent  the  knee  before  it,  and  went 
away.  Instinctively  the  words  flashed  into  Janet's 
mind :  "  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  any  graven 
image.  .  .  .  Thou  shalt  not  bow  down  thyself  to 
them  nor  worship  them.  For  I,  the  Lord  thy  God, 
am  a  jealous  God — "  What  was  this  but  idolatry,  as 
much  as  in  any  heathen  land?  And  yet  she  had 
supposed  that  Italy  was  a  Christian  country;  that 
paganism  was  a  thing  of  the  past. 

One  after  another — men,  women,  and  children — 
approached  and  performed  this  act.  Some  were  old 
and  bowed  with  care ;  others  were  young  and  gayly 
dressed.  One  mother  brought  her  baby  and  touched 
the  foot  with  her  hand,  afterward  rubbing  it  on 
the  infant's  forehead  and  muttering  prayers  as  she 
did  so,  as  if  there  were  some  healing  power  in  the 
bronze  statue.  The  lights  sparkled  red  in  the 
massive  gold  lamps  above  the  tomb  of  the  apostle, 
the  mosaics  glistened  in  rich  color,  the  splendid 

35 


THE    JESUIT 

frescoes  and  priceless  marbles  represented  the  wealth 
of  a  sovereign — and  the  poor  woman,  with  her 
baby,  sought  help  and  comfort  from  a  bronze 
image ! 

A  slight  movement  roused  Janet  from  her  mus- 
ings. Lady  Eger  passed  swiftly  through  the  groups 
of  people  and  stooping,  pressed  her  lips  to  the  toe, 
where  a  moment  before,  a  rough-looking-man, 
with  tobacco-stained  beard  and  bleared  eyes  had 
placed  his.  Leaning  forward,  she  laid  her  forehead 
upon  the  cold  and  lifeless  foot,  kissed  it  again, 
and  returned. 

This  was  more  than  Janet  could  bear  in  silence. 
Turning  abruptly  she  passed  rapidly  down  the  nave 
and  out  on  the  broad  porch,  facing  the  spacious 
piazza,  its  obelisk  and  fountains,  its  colonnade  and 
marble  statues.  It  was  now  high  noon,  so  the  dull, 
heavy  boom  of  a  cannon  announced,  and,  mechanic- 
ally, together  with  everyone  near  her,  she  took  out 
her  watch,  saw  that  it  was  correct  to  the  second, 
and  replaced  it  in  her  belt.  It  was  one  of  those 
actions  which  one  performs  unconsciously  while  the 
mind  is  absorbed  in  thought.  Ever  the  query  arose : 
How  could  an  intelligent  woman,  such  as  Lady 
Eger,  believe  in  these  things?  There  were  many 
ignorant  persons,  whose  actions  could  be  easily  un- 
derstood, but  Lady  Eger! 

"  Yonder  is  our  carriage,  Miss  Lapeer.  Shall  we 
walk  around  under  the  colonnade  ?  The  sun  is  very 
hot  at  noon." 


THE    JESUIT 

In  the  heat  of  her  disgust  and  anger  Janet  dis- 
liked Lady  Eger  most  vehemently  at  that  moment, 
and  she  felt  that  the  lady  herself  knew  it;  she  no- 
ticed everything  without  seeming  to.  In  silence  she 
followed  Fay  and  her  mother,  both  of  whom  were 
in  the  best  of  spirits.  Already  she  realized  that 
some  subtle  influence  was  at  work  to  separate  her 
from  those  whom  she  loved  so  dearly.  Neither 
Mrs.  Lapeer  nor  Fay  had  been  affected  as  she  had 
been  by  the  occurrences  of  the  morning.  As  the 
carriage  started,  she  saw  Lady  Eger  reach  over  to 
shake  hands  with  a  gentleman,  to  whom  she  spoke 
in  fluent  Italian.  She  followed  his  look  of  admira- 
tion to  Fay's  sweet  face,  and  knew  that  Lady  Eger 
was  speaking  of  them  both,  for  he  at  once  trans- 
ferred his  glance  to  herself,  and  she  dropped  her 
eyes  to  avoid  meeting  it. 

"  Marquis  Guido  di  Cassini,"  Lady  Eger  ex- 
plained later.  "  One  of  the  best-known  men  in 
Rome.  He  belongs  to  a  very  old  family.  Not  the 
impecunious  kind,  either;  at  least,  it  is  common  re- 
port that  he  is  wealthy  and  he  is  unmarried.  I  have 
asked  him  to  call  tomorrow  evening,  on  purpose  to 
meet  you  all." 

"  So  kind  of  you,"  murmured  Mrs.  Lapeer, 
secretly  impressed  by  the  marquis,  or  his  title,  it 
would  have  been  hard  to  tell  which. 

"  Not  at  all.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  present  such 
charming  girls  as  your  daughters  to  my  friends," 
added  Lady  Eger,  in  a  low  tone,  audible  to  Mrs. 

37 


THE    JESUIT 

Lapeer  only,  "  and  if  you  will  allow  me,  I  will  get 
them  the  entree  into  some  of  the  best  families 
here." 

"  How  can  we  ever  repay  your  goodness ! "  ex- 
claimed Mrs.  Lapeer,  in  raptures  at  the  prospect  of 
a  winter  "  in  society  "  in  Rome. 

Lady  Eger's  eyes  gleamed  with  a  peculiar  ex- 
pression. 

"  I  shall  have  my  reward,  my  dear  lady,  do  not 
fear.  Isn't  virtue  always  its  own  reward  ?  "  she  re- 
plied, lightly.  "  We  shall  be  late  for  luncheon, 
after  all.  The  first  train  from  Naples  must  be  in, 
for  I  see  a  carriage  at  the  door,  with  a  lot  of  lug- 
gage on  it.  Somebody  has  arrived." 

A  gentleman  superintended  the  removal  of  his 
numerous  bags  and  packages,  paid  the  coachman, 
and  turned  to  enter  the  house  just  as  the  Lapeers 
and  Lady  Eger  reached  the  door. 

Lady  Eger  gave  a  gasp  of  joy,  and  rushed  toward 
him,  holding  out  both  hands  to  grasp  his  big  ones. 
"  John ! "  she  exclaimed,  ecstatically,  "  where  did 
you  drop  from?  " 

"  From  across  the  big  water,  Hortense.  Thought 
I'd  come  over  and  see  this  great  city  you've  been 
talking  so  much  about.  Are  you  glad  to  see  me, 
or  shall  I  go  back  again  to  my  ranch  ?  " 

He  looked  down  upon  her  benevolently  from  his 
six  feet  two  of  height. 

"  Glad,"  echoed  Lady  Eger.  "  Indeed  you  are 
not  going  back  to  that  horrid  ranch.  Mrs.  Lapeer, 

38 


THE    JESUIT 

this  is  my  brother,  Sir  John  Hamilton.  Miss 
Lapeer,  Miss  Fay  Lapeer,  my  brother." 

When  Sir  John  Hamilton  shook  hands  with 
Janet  she  felt  as  if  a  fresh  breeze  from  the  West, 
where  man  has  a  chance  to  breathe  and  expand, 
had  enveloped  her.  She  remembered  once  riding 
for  miles  across  the  prairies,  with  the  strong  wind 
in  her  face  and  masses  of  wild  flowers  spread  out 
around  her  like  a  gorgeous  carpet.  The  hearty 
grasp  of  his  hand  brought  it  all  back — the  ex- 
hilaration, the  inspiration,  the  desire  to  know  and 
to  do. 

"  I  am  glad  to  know  you,  Miss  Lapeer,"  he  said, 
cordially.  Then,  allowing  the  ladies  to  pass  in, 
he  followed  his  sister  upstairs. 


39 


CHAPTER  V 

"  WHEN  shall  we  go  to  see  Alda  Pierce?  "  asked 
Janet,  a  week  later,  coming  into  her  mother's  room 
after  a  brisk  walk  in  the  Villa  Borghese. 

Fay  lay  on  the  sofa  absorbed  in  her  book.  She 
roused  herself  sufficiently  to  say :  "  It  does  not  seem 
to  me  that  there  is  any  hurry  about  it.  Lady  Eger 
knows  her  slightly,  she  said,  and  she  intimated  that 
Mrs.  Pierce  is  not  in  society  here  in  Rome." 

"  Society  is  the  loser  then,"  retorted  Janet,  flush- 
ing. "  Alda  is  the  sweetest  woman  I  ever  knew, 
and  would  adorn  a  circle  more  refined  than  that  of 
Roman  princes  and  nobles." 

"  You  are  really  growing  tart,  Janet,"  remon- 
strated her  sister.  "  It's  a  very  bad  symptom. 
Lady  Eger  says  it's  a  sure  sign  of  advancing  years." 

Janet  closed  her  lips  to  keep  back  another  retort. 
She  was  very  tired  of  hearing  Lady  Eger  quoted. 
Since  the  day  in  Saint  Peter's  she  had  avoided  the 
little  lady,  declining  invitations  to  go  sight-seeing 
or  calling. 

"  What  are  you  reading,  Fay  ?  " 

"  The  Lives  of  the  Saints,  by  Mrs.  Jamieson. 
It's  perfectly  lovely.  I  had  no  idea  that  there  were 
women  who  lived  such  beautiful  lives  and  did  such 
miraculous  things.  I  cannot  understand  why  we  do 
not  have  such  tales  in  our  church,  or  why  we  must 

40 


THE    JESUIT 


be  so  dull  and  tasteless  in  the  style  of  our  churches. 
Compare  our  church  at  home  with  these  here — the 
lovely  paintings,  the  soft  light,  and  the  beautiful 
carvings.  In  themselves  they  are  enough  to  excite 
one  to  devotion.  Lady  Eger  says — " 

Janet  fled  to  the  other  room  and  Fay  settled  back 
again  to  her  book.  Going  to  the  window  Janet 
looked  out  upon  the  garden  below  and  sighed.  Why 
was  it  that  Fay  had  been  so  different  since  they  had 
come  to  Rome?  Was  it  Lady  Eger's  influence 
which  was  changing  her  so  ?  And  the  mother — she 
too  was  altered.  Her  conversation  ran  continuously 
on  society,  marquises  and  counts,  the  Pope  and  the 
Vatican.  "  Marquises  "  reminded  her  of  the  Mar- 
quis di  Cassini,  whom  Lady  Eger  had  invited  to 
meet  them.  Janet  could  not  restrain  a  smile  at  the 
remembrance  of  Sir  John  Hamilton  and  his  sister's 
guest — the  great  tall,  breezy  Englishman  and  the 
dapper,  up-to-date  scion  of  a  noble  family,  with 
waxed  moustaches  and  hair  smooth  as  satin.  Sir 
John  had  a  habit  of  rumpling  his  mass  of  brown 
curls  when  he  was  intent  on  anything  of  interest  to 
him,  and  a  conversation  with  Padre  Veroni  on  sub- 
jects on  which  they  were  diametrically  opposed  had 
produced  a  startling  effect  just  before  the  marquis 
arrived. 

Lady  Eger  had  a  private  sitting  room,  a  cozy  cor- 
ner, where  a  wood  fire  crackled  and  blazed  and  shed 
a  cheery  blaze  over  photographs  of  men  and  women, 
noted  in  art,  music,  and  literature,  over  a  couch 


THE    JESUIT 

covered  with  a  handsome  Kelim  brought  from  Con- 
stantinople, a  very  inviting  resting  place  with  its 
piles  of  gaily  covered  cushions,  over  small  tables 
of  odd  shapes,  laden  with  the  latest  books.  Flowers 
nestled  in  quaint  brass  bowls  of  beaten  ware  and  a 
cluster  of  early  chrysanthemums  in  sunshine  tints 
grew  and  blossomed  in  a  large  Japanese  vase.  There 
were  no  electric  lights  here,  but  candles  in  majolica 
and  glass  holders,  fastened  to  the  walls  at  intervals, 
beamed  with  benign  light  and  beautified  and  ideal- 
ized the  room.  On  a  tiny  table,  quite  by  itself, 
stood  a  silver  frame  containing  a  large  picture  of 
Pope  Pius  X,  in  his  white  cassock,  seated  at  a  table, 
writing.  It  was  a  room  exactly  like  Lady  Eger, 
dainty,  charming. 

The  marquis  proved  to  be  an  excellent  talker.  He 
was  interested  in  the  questions  of  the  day,  in  the 
condition  of  Italy  under  the  present  administration 
of  the  House  of  Savoy,  an  administration  of  which 
he  very  strongly  approved  and  did  not  hesitate  to 
say  so. 

"  It  is  true  that  the  taxes  are  a  terrible  weight 
upon  the  people,"  he  said. 

"  Any  worse  than  they  were  thirty-five  years 
ago?  "  inquired  Sir  John. 

The  marquis  frowned.  Then  he  laughed,  and 
with  quick  Italian  wit  parried  the  question. 

"  I  really  cannot  say.  I  was  not  born  then,  hav- 
ing done  the  world  the  favor  of  arriving  five  years 
later." 

42 


THE    JESUIT 

Sir  John  joined  in  the  hearty  laugh  which  went 
around  at  his  expense.  He  stood  up  and  thrust  his 
fingers  through  his  hair.  His  figure  was  built  on  a 
generous  scale  and  was  not  graceful,  though  it  gave 
the  impression  of  strength,  both  of  mind  and  of 
body. 

"  At  least,  if  they  do  pay  more  taxes,  they  have 
a  right  to  call  their  souls  their  own,  which  is  more 
than  they  had  when  the  Popes  had  temporal  power, 
if  one  may  believe  all  the  tales  one  hears." 

The  marquis  bowed.  "  We  agree  on  these  points, 
Sir  John,  although  you  are  a  Protestant  and  I  am  a 
Catholic  by  birth.  You  are  an  Englishman  and  I 
am  an  Italian.  Our  views  can  scarcely  be  expected 
to  harmonize  and  yet  I  love  my  country  as  much  as 
you  do  yours.  Now,  Lady  Eger — "  Sir  John  gave 
a  sudden  movement  and  knocked  off  a  bowl  of 
roses  with  his  elbow.  It  made  a  happy  diversion, 
and  the  conversation  turned  to  less  argumentative 
themes. 

Lady  Eger  leaned  back  in  her  large  easy  chair, 
held  up  a  sandal-wood  fan  to  screen  her  eyes,  and 
watched  her  guests.  She  looked  smaller  and  more 
delicate  that  night,  in  her  long  gown  of  filmy  black. 

Sir  John  talked  to  Janet,  telling  her  about  the 
great  ranch  he  had  out  in  California,  where  the 
lilies  bloomed  by  the  thousands,  huge  fields  of  them, 
white  and  stately,  and  where  the  roses  overran  his 
house  and  hung  in  clusters  around  his  windows. 
The  feeling  of  space  grew  as  Janet  listened  to  him 

43 


THE    JESUIT 

— he  seemed  so  big  in  heart  and  views  and  experi- 
ence. In  an  old,  conservative  city  he  was  com- 
pressed like  a  strong  north  wind  confined  within 
the  limits  of  a  narrow  cave. 

"  There  are  no  flowers  here  in  Italy  to  compare 
with  ours,  Miss  Lapeer.  You've  never  been  in 
California,  so  you  cannot  understand.  I  love  the 
place." 

"  I  thought  you  were  an  Englishman,  Sir  John," 
she  said,  smiling  at  him  as  he  overflowed  the  small 
gilt  chair  on  which  he  was  trying  to  be  comfortable. 

"  So  I  am  and  always  shall  be — a  genuine  Brit- 
isher; but  my  home  is  in  America  and  always  will 
be  as  long  as  God  allows  me  to  live  and  work." 

"  Has  Lady  Eger  ever  been  out  to  see  your 
ranch?" 

Sir  John's  kindly  face  clouded.  "  No,  I  am  sorry 
to  say,  she  does  not  care  to  come.  The  truth  is, 
Miss  Lapeer,  Rome  has  a  terrible  grip  on  her  in 
more  ways  than  one.  It's  one  reason  I  came,  to  tell 
the  truth,  and  I  feel  that  you  will  understand  when  I 
talk  to  you.  You  seem  to  be  different  from  the  rest. 
She  was  the  dearest  girl  at  home,  so  gay  and 
simple-hearted.  Five  years  ago  she  married  the 
best  fellow  I  ever  knew — and  he  died.  Maybe  she'll 
tell  you  about  it  some  day;  I  hope  you'll  be  friends, 
Miss  Lapeer,  I  really  do.  She  needs  a  woman  friend, 
God  knows.  These  priests  have  her  in  their  clutches. 
Pardon  me  if  I  speak  strongly;  I  feel  strongly  and 
have  reason  to.  You  are  not  fascinated  by  these 

44 


THE    JESUIT 

black-robed  men  with  their  shifting,  insincere  eyes 
and  all  the  glitter  of  their  services,  are  you  ?  "  He 
leaned  anxiously  forward  to  catch  her  answer. 

"  Not  in  the  least.    Quite  the  contrary." 

"  I  was  sure  of  it.  But  look  out  for  your  sister, 
Miss  Lapeer.  One  does  not  have  to  live  here  per- 
manently to  be  conversant  with  the  methods  of  the 
Roman  Church.  I  am  not  ignorant  of  these  priests, 
their  wiles  and  their  enticing  ways.  Keep  an  eye 
on  her  or  they  will  get  her,  surely." 

Janet  involuntarily  turned  her  eyes  toward  her 
sister,  and  Sir  John  smiled  in  the  midst  of  his 
earnestness. 

"  O,  I  don't  mean  that  there  is  any  danger  this 
minute.  The  marquis  is  quite  harmless  at  present, 
though  he'll  bear  watching — he'll  bear  watching. 
As  I  was  saying,  Lord  Eger  died  two  years  after 
their  marriage  and  Hortense  was  heartbroken  over 
it.  Some  other  griefs  entered  into  it  which  it  is 
not  necessary  to  mention.  She  thought  travel  would 
divert  her  mind  and  I  went  everywhere  with  her  for 
a  year.  She  and  I  are  quite  alone  in  the  world. 
It  did  relieve  her  suffering  somewhat  and  as  my 
business  in  America  really  required  my  personal 
supervision,  and  as  she  was  as  happy  here  in  Rome 
as  I  could  expect  her  to  be  anywhere,  I  left  her.  I 
have  been  very  sorry  since  that  I  did.  I  might  have 
kept  the  bloodhounds  off.  She  went  over  to  the 
Church  of  Rome — that's  the  long  and  short  of  it; 
went  over  with  all  the  intensity  of  her  nature.  They 

45 


THE    JESUIT 

knew  just  how  to  draw  her,  how  to  sympathize  with 
her.  Padre  Veroni — ah,  he's  a  deep  man,  deep  as 
the  sea  and  twice  as  dangerous — Padre  Veroni  was 
plausible  and  touched  her  wounds  so  delicately  that 
they  began  to  heal  and  she  thought  it  was  the 
Church  and  not  Padre  Veroni ;  so  she  gave  up  the 
faith  of  her  childhood,  and  adopted  this  new  one. 
If  it  had  brought  her  peace,  I  do  not  know  that  I 
should  have  the  heart  to  object,  but  she  is  not  happy 
— I  see  it  and  feel  it.  She  is  fearfully  bigoted  and 
goes  to  more  extremes  in  forms  and  ceremonies  than 
those  who  are  born  Roman  Catholics;  but  perverts 
almost  always  do  that.  They  always  want  to  keep 
ahead  for  fear  they  can't  keep  even,  I  think.  She 
needs  a  friend,  a  woman  who  understands  her 
nature  better  than  a  clumsy  man  like  myself." 

"  I  don't  know  what  I  could  do,  Sir  John,"  Janet 
responded,  with  hesitation. 

"  Against  Padre  Veroni  and  the  Jesuits  and  all 
their  machinery?  My  dear  young  lady,  you  can 
do  nothing  in  a  contest  with  them.  A  child  cannot 
safely  and  successfully  play  with  edged  tools.  But 
you  can  wait  the  chance  to  act  her  friend,  can't 
you?" 

His  tone  now  was  one  of  earnest  pleading  as  of  a 
big  brother  anxious  for  the  safety  of  his  little  sister. 
It  touched  Janet  strangely. 

"  I  will  try,"  she  said,  and  rose,  as  her  mother 
was  saying  good-night  to  Lady  Eger. 

The  conviction  came  to  Janet  this  autumn  after- 
46 


THE    JESUIT 

noon  that  she  had  not  kept  her  compact  with  Sir 
John.  She  had  not  tried  to  help  Lady  Eger;  and 
yet,  how  could  she?  Lady  Eger  seemed  to  be  a 
shrewd  woman  of  the  world,  skilled  in  many  arts 
of  subterfuge  and  guile  by  these  years  under  the 
tutelage  of  Padre  Veroni  and  his  associates.  An 
American  girl  could  not  cope  with  her.  And  there 
was  Sir  John's  warning  about  Fay — that  they  would 
try  to  entangle  her  in  a  web  from  which  she 
could  not  extricate  herself.  Conscience  twinges 
pricked  Janet?  Was  she  not  allowing  precious 
moments  to  slip  by?  Even  now  Fay  was  fill- 
ing her  mind  with  the  beautiful  myths  of  the 
Roman  Church,  for  beautiful  they  are  indeed,  these 
legends  of  Saint  Agnes,  and  Saint  Catharine  of 
Sienna,  and  Saint  Bridget,  and  Saint  Elizabeth  of 
Hungary — the  lives  of  good  women,  many  of  whom 
suffered  for  righteousness'  sake  in  the  early  history 
of  the  Christian  faith,  maidens  and  matrons  whom 
we  revere  for  their  purity  and  usefulness.  But  the 
tales  have  been  embroidered  during  these  centuries 
with  supernatural  designs,  miracles,  and  remarkable 
cases  of  healing,  until  the  simple-hearted  saints 
themselves  would  be  horrified  and  amazed  could 
they  know  for  what  purpose  their  life  stories  are 
being  used.  Still,  they  were  tales  to  fascinate  the 
mind  of  a  girl  and  cause  her  to  see  in  everything 
connected  with  the  Church  something  mysterious 
and  attractive. 

With  sudden  resolution  Janet  knelt  down  beside 
47 


THE    JESUIT 

her  narrow  bed  and  prayed  with  more  earnestness 
than  she  had  prayed  for  some  weeks.  This  new 
country  with  its  marvelous  treasures  had  drawn 
her  mind  from  higher  thoughts;  she  had  forgotten 
to  "  seek  those  things  which  are  above  and  not  those 
which  are  of  the  earth."  The  line  of  an  old  hymn 
ran  through  her  mind :  "  A  need  for  earnest  prayer." 
When  she  rose  from  her  knees  it  was  with  renewed 
strength  for  a  battle  which  she  felt  sure  was  immi- 
nent, a  battle  in  which  her  own  feeble  strength 
would  count  for  nothing;  "  but  with  God  all  things 
are  possible." 

She  put  on  her  hat  and  drew  on  her  gloves  as  once 
more  she  entered  her  mother's  room. 

"  Hasn't  mamma  come  back  yet  ?  It's  such  a 
lovely  day.  Come,  little  sister,  let's  go  for  a  walk. 
You'll  make  your  head  ache  if  you  read  so  long." 
She  smoothed  back  Fay's  hair,  loosened  above  her 
smooth,  white  forehead.  "  Do  come,  dear.  I'm 
tired  of  going  around  alone." 

Fay  flung  away  her  book.  "  Of  course,  I'll  go 
if  you  really  want  me.  You've  been  so  strange  and 
cold  lately.  I  could  not  imagine  why.  And  you 
never  would  go  out  with  us  when  Lady  Eger  asked 
us  to  go.  I've  missed  you  Janet,  so  much,  you 
dear,  old  sister." 

Fay's  energetic  hug  was  nearly  ruinous  to  Janet's 
new  autumn  hat,  but  she  did  not  mind  that  now. 

"  Then  hurry  and  get  dressed.  I'll  go  wherever 
you  like." 

48 


THE    JESUIT 

"  No.  I'll  go  where  you  want  to,  even  to  see 
Alda  Pierce." 

Thinking  it  better  to  take  advantage  of  Fay's  re- 
markable spirit  of  self-sacrifice  Janet  led  the  way 
toward  the  home  of  the  only  friend  she  had  in 
Rome. 


49 


CHAPTER  VI 

MRS.  PIERCE  was  at  home,  the  trim  maid  inti- 
mated by  nod  and  smile,  ushering  them  into  a  room 
which  bore  unmistakable  evidence  of  American  taste 
in  furnishing.  The  windows  were  high  and  wide, 
admitting  a  flood  of  afternoon  sunshine.  An  open 
piano  was  strewn  with  music,  an  abundance  of  books 
were  on  shelves  and  tables,  and  some  tea-roses  were 
artistically  arranged  in  a  majolica  bowl. 

"  It  looks  exactly  like  Alda !  "  exclaimed  Janet. 
"  And  there  is  a  picture  of  our  old  room  and 
the  campus,  and  a  group  of  our  class.  I  won- 
der if  she  looks  any  older.  She  was  the  dearest 
girl!" 

The  door  opened  to  admit  a  woman  carrying  an 
infant  in  her  arms.  Her  smooth  brown  hair  was 
slightly  loosened  about  her  face,  her  eyes  were 
brown,  and  large;  her  mouth  was  formed  like  a 
bow  from  the  hands  of  Cupid,  and  her  dress  was 
of  dark  brown,  the  color  of  her  eyes,  very  simply 
made,  but  of  exquisite  taste. 

"  Alda !  "  said  Janet.  "  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you 
again,  after  five  years — how  long  it  seems  since  you 
sailed  for  Naples  with  your  husband !  " 

"  No  more  glad  than  I  am  to  see  you  here  in  my 
home.  And  Fay  too.  Fay  has  grown." 

"  Now  that's  a  shame  of  you,  Mrs.  Pierce,  to 
50 


THE    JESUIT 

twit  me  on  my  youth.  I'm  twenty  years  old,  I'd 
have  you  know." 

"  And  fifteen  when  I  saw  you  last.  You  certainly 
have  grown." 

They  all  laughed  and  baby  stretched  out  its  little 
arms  to  Janet,  who  seized  upon  her  eagerly. 

"  You  darling !  how  did  you  know  that  I  wanted 
to  cuddle  you?  What's  her  name,  Alda?  And 
how  old  is  she  ?  " 

"  She  is  Alda  number  two,"  broke  in  Mr.  Pierce's 
deep  voice.  "  How  do  you  do,  Miss  Lapeer  and 
Miss  Fay.  We  are  delighted  to  see  you.  And  your 
mother,  is  she  well  ?  " 

"  Very  well,  and  will  be  glad  to  see  you  at  the 
Speranza." 

"  Is  that  where  you  are  stopping?  "  inquired  Mrs. 
Pierce,  with  a  curious  intonation. 

''  Yes.  Is  there  anything  wrong  about  the  place, 
Alda?  Please  tell  me  frankly.  Aunt  Mary  told 
us  we  had  better  go  to  the  Windsor,  but  on  the 
steamer  we  met  Padre  Veroni." 

"  Padre  Veroni !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pierce 
in  unison.  "  Go  on,  Janet,  this  waxes  inter- 
esting and  may  prove  exciting,"  added  Mrs. 
Pierce. 

Janet  began  to  look  anxious. 

"  Well,  we  met  the  priest,  and  mamma  liked  him 
very  much ;  so  when  he  recommended  us  to  go  to  the 
Speranza  we  went.  Tell  me  what  is  wrong,  Alda, 
please  do." 

51 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Nothing  is  wrong,  dear,  only  it  is  a  perfect 
hotbed  of  Roman  Catholicism,  so  we  are  assured, 
though  comfortable  and  pleasant.  Naturally,  many 
people  stop  there  who  are  not  Catholics.  Do  you 
know  Lady  Eger  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"And  like  her?" 

There  was  a  painful  pause,  broken  by  Fay,  who 
had  been  playing  with  the  baby.  She  now  raised 
her  head,  a  little  defiantly,  it  seemed  to  Janet. 

"  Lady  Eger  is  a  lovely  woman  and  has  helped 
us  so  much  in  seeing  Rome  and  planning  our  trips. 
I  don't  know  what  we  should  have  done  without 
her.  And  as  to  the  pension,  I  have  never  found  a 
placfc  where  the  service  and  table  were  so  good  or 
people  were  so  generally  kind." 

"  That  is  all  true,"  Janet  added.  "  We  have  cer- 
tainly no  reason  to  be  dissatisfied  there;  quite  the 
contrary." 

Fay  sent  a  grateful  look  toward  Janet.  A  bright 
red  spot  burned  in  each  cheek  and  a  threatened 
storm  was  averted  by  Janet's  cautious  remark. 

Mrs.  Pierce  laid  her  hand  softly  on  Fay's.  "  My 
dear,  I  meant  no  offense  either  to  Lady  Eger  or  to 
the  pension,  and  nothing  was  farther  from  my 
thoughts  than  to  gossip.  We  who  work  here  in 
Rome,  and  are  interested  heart  and  soul  in  our 
work,  naturally  keep  our  wits  sharpened  all  the 
time." 

"  What   do  you  think  about   Padre  Veroni  ? " 


THE    JESUIT 

asked  Janet  of  Mr.  Pierce,  going  directly  to  the 
point. 

Mrs.  Pierce  was  showing  Fay  some  of  the  odd 
Italian  ornaments  which  they  had  accumulated  dur- 
ing the  five  years  of  their  residence  in  Rome,  so 
that  the  conversation  could  not  be  heard. 

"  He  is  a  priest  of  the  most  polished  type,  suave, 
a  man  who  knows  men  and  probes  to  the  very  depths 
of  their  souls.  I  may  say  that  he  is  a  very  unusually 
intelligent  man,  high-bred,  speaking  several  lan- 
guages, and  is  all  the  more  dangerous  for  these 
characteristics.  He  has  been  sent  on  important  mis- 
sions to  Spain  and  Austria  by  the  Pope  and  is  very 
much  in  favor  at  the  Vatican.  It  is  reported  that 
he  has  declined  a  bishopric.  The  general  opinion 
is  that  it  is  not  due  to  extreme  modesty  or  to  a 
desire  to  work  in  a  humble  sphere,  but  to  an  ambi- 
tion to  wear  a  cardinal's  hat,  without  passing 
through  any  intermediate  stages.  These  opinions 
may  wrong  him.  I  do  not  know." 

"  Here  comes  the  tea,"  said  Mrs.  Pierce.  "  You 
do  not  know  how  much  pleasure  it  gives  me,  Janet, 
to  have  you  in  our  home.  Tell  me  all  about  the 
people  in  Clyde.  What  a  charming  place  that  was 
— such  lovely  houses,  with  beautiful  lawns  and  gay 
flowers!  Will  you  hold  baby  while  I  pour  the  tea, 
Janet  ?  See  how  quiet  she  is  with  you." 

Janet  clasped  her  arms  around  the  tiny  form 
which  nestled  so  warmly  against  her.  The  child 
laid  her  head,  covered  with  soft,  yellow  curls,  back 


THE    JESUIT 

against  her  and  Janet  felt  a  new  warmth  in  her 
heart. 

The  door  opened,  admitting  a  man  who  was  so 
large  that  he  seemed  to  fill  the  room  with  his 
presence. 

"  Sir  John !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Pierce,  rising  hastily 
to  greet  his  guest.  "  We  could  have  no  more  joyful 
surprise.  Alda,  here  is  Sir  John  Hamilton,  returned 
from  the  wilds  of  California." 

"  Say,  rather,  from  the  paradise  of  California," 
Sir  John  corrected,  shaking  hands  with  Mrs.  Pierce ; 
and  then,  bowing  to  Janet,  he  seated  himself  by 
Fay. 

"  You  have  come  back  now  to  stay  a  while  with 
us,  haven't  you,  Sir  John  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Pierce. 

"  As  long  as  my  sister  wants  me  to." 

"  Ah !  "  responded  Mrs.  Pierce,  expressively. 

"  I  have  arranged  my  business  matters  so  that  I 
can  stay  away  for  two  years,  if  necessary.  I  must 
confess  to  a  tremendous  longing  for  broad  fields 
and  great,  lonely  distances  where  one  can  commune 
with  nature.  In  these  conservative  old  cities  I  feel 
oppressed  and  cannot  get  my  breath.  This  morn- 
ing, I  went  for  a  long  hard  ride  on  the  Campagna ; 
it  comes  the  nearest  to  an  open  space  of  anything 
around  here." 

"  Sir  John  Hamilton !  "  exclaimed  a  lady  behind 
him.  "  Have  you  forgotten  an  old  friend  ?  When 
did  you  come  to  Rome  ?  " 

Sir  John  took  the  hand  of  a  white-haired,  portly 
54 


THE    JESUIT 

woman  in  both  his.  "  Mrs.  Potter !  This  is  an 
unexpected  pleasure?  Have  you  just  returned  from 
the  country?  Tell  me  what  you  have  been  doing 
in  these  years  of  my  absence,  my  dear  lady.  I  see 
that  Rome  is  still  here." 

"  Rome !  Sir  John !  Rome  is  eternal,  immortal. 
New  worlds  may  be  discovered,  new  continents  arise 
out  of  the  sea,  and  new  nations  be  born,  but  Rome 
still  holds  the  scepter  in  her  seat  upon  the  Seven 
Hills." 

"  Hear !  Hear !  Mrs.  Potter  is  a  Romaphile, 
Miss  Lapeer." 

"  You  have  come  from  America,  I  hear.  How 
could  you  stand  it  out  there  among  those  dreadful 
cowboys,  who  carry  revolvers  in  both  hands  and 
shoot  if  you  differ  with  them  ?  " 

"  A  little  overdrawn,  Mrs.  Potter,  if  you  please. 
The  cowboy  is  more  or  less  a  fiction  of  the  imagina- 
tion. He  still  exists  in  dime  novels — " 

"  I  have  been  to  see  Buffalo  Bill's  Wild  West 
Show,  the  'greatest  in  the  world/  Sir  John.  I 
know  that  America  is  full  of  Indians  and  cowboys." 

Fay  laughed  outright  and  Mrs.  Potter  turned  her 
spectacles  upon  her.  The  eyes  behind  the  spectacles 
were  twinkling  merrily. 

"  You  are  an  American,  aren't  you,  my  dear  ?  A 
pretty  good  specimen  of  one,  too.  Got  any  Indian 
blood  in  you  ?  " 

Sir  John's  hearty  laughter  aroused  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Pierce,  who  were  deep  in  conversation  with  two 

55 


THE    JESUIT 

Italian  gentlemen.  Their  hostess  came  toward 
them. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Mrs.  Potter,  I  have  not 
given  you  any  tea." 

"  Make  it  weak,  my  dear,  with  plenty  of  sugar. 
And,  Miss  Lapeer,"  she  continued,  as  Janet  con- 
signed Alda  to  a  neat  maid  and  rose  to  go,  "  come 
and  see  me — 22  Via  Parma,  second  floor — and 
bring  your  sister.  I  like  Americans,  though  I  never 
had  any  desire  to  go  to  your  country.  It's  too  new 
and  big  for  me,  but  just  about  suits  Sir  John,  who 
requires  considerable  room.  My  regular  day  at 
home  is  Wednesday,  but  don't  come  then.  Come 
some  morning.  By  the  way,  have  you  a  mother  or 
any  sort  of  chaperon  along  with  you?  You  are 
both  entirely  too  handsome  to  be  over  here  alone, 
but  one  can  never  tell  what  queer  things  you  people 
are  going  to  do  next  You  are  so  youthful  and 
confiding." 

"  Our  mother  is  with  us,"  replied  Janet,  puzzled 
to  know  whether  she  ought  to  be  on  her  dignity  with 
this  remarkable  old  lady,  whose  tight  white  curls  on 
each  side  of  her  forehead  fell  beneath  a  very  large 
bonnet  with  red  flowers  in  the  front,  or  whether  to 
follow  her  inclination  and  laugh. 

"  Then  bring  her  along,  or,  better  yet,  you  come 
alone  some  morning,  my  dear,  if  your  sister  doesn't 
object,  and  ask  your  mother  to  bring  her  on  Wednes- 
day, at  four,  remember.  Sit  down  here,  Sir  John, 
and  tell  me  all  about  yourself." 


THE    JESUIT 

"  What  a  funny  old  lady !  "  Fay  said  to  Mrs. 
Pierce,  who  accompanied  them  to  the  door  of  the 
apartment. 

"  Very  funny,  but  as  good  as  gold.  She  is 
greatly  interested  in  all  good  works,  and  has  a  large 
number  of  acquaintances  in  Rome.  One  of  her 
dearest  friends  is  the  sister  of  a  prominent  cardinal, 
and  another  is  the  chief  lady  in  waiting  to  the  queen 
mother.  Good-by,  girls.  Do  come  again,  and 
soon.  I  am  so  busy  with  the  baby  and  our  work, 
but  I  shall  certainly  call  with  Mr.  Pierce  to  return 
your  visit  and  see  Mrs.  Lapeer." 

"  Of  all  the  queer  characters ! "  Fay  continued 
on  the  walk  home.  "  I  shall  love  to  see  her  home. 
It  must  be  like  herself — full  of  all  sorts  of  oddities. 
She's  not  very  complimentary,  to  invite  mother  and 
me  to  come  with  everybody  else,  while  you  are  in- 
vited to  a  private  session." 

"  I  am  coming  to  the  conclusion  that  there 
are  more  different  people  and  peculiar  characters 
to  be  found  in  Rome  than  anywhere  else  in  the 
world,"  Janet  replied.  "  Let  us  go  down  to  the 
top  of  the  Spanish  steps,  Fay,  and  watch  the  sun 
set." 

Along  the  marble  balustrade  at  the  top  of  the 
broad  staircase  leading  down  to  the  Piazza  di 
Spagna,  a  number  of  persons  were  standing.  Be- 
hind them  rose  the  obelisk  in  front  of  the  great 
church  connected  with  the  Convent  of  the  Holy 
Trinity.  Many  carriages  rolled  by,  carrying  ladies, 

57 


THE    JESUIT 

tourists,  officers  to  and  from  the  Pincian  Hill.  At 
that  hour  hundreds  of  people  gathered  in  the  park, 
some  to  drive  among  the  palms  and  roses,  others  to 
gossip  in  their  carriages,  sitting  under  the  shade  of 
a  splendid  oak  or  ilex. 

Those  who  were  watching  the  orb  of  day  as  he 
sank  to  repose  in  soft  coverlets  of  rose  clouds  stood 
absolutely  silent.  All  were  not  by  any  means 
strangers  or  tourists.  Better  than  his  daily  bread, 
the  Italian  loves  the  beautiful;  it  is  to  him  the  breath 
of  life,  the  inspiration  of  his  soul.  A  grocer's  boy, 
bearing  a  huge  basket  on  his  head,  set  his  load  on 
the  balustrade,  put  his  hands  in  his  pockets,  and 
prepared  to  enjoy  the  feast  of  rich  color.  A  poor 
woman,  bowed  with  the  weight  of  great  sorrow  and 
suffering,  leaned  against  the  railing  and  reveled  in 
the  beauty  of  the  scene  before  her.  An  officer,  bril- 
liant in  uniform  and  gold  braid,  with  his  wife, 
stood  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  a  stout  German  in 
rough  tweed  suit  and  Tyrolese  hat,  decorated  with 
a  cock's  feather.  A  few  carriages  stopped  and  the 
ladies  held  their  lace  parasols  down  to  protect  their 
complexions  from  the  glare  while  gazing  at  the  fast- 
disappearing  ball  of  fire.  The  towers  of  Rome  were 
flooded  with  gorgeous  red  light.  The  haze  upon 
distant  Monte  Mario  became  translucent  and 
glorious,  then  faded  to  dull  blue — for  the  sun  had 
set. 

The  grocer's  boy  picked  up  his  load,  hoisted  it  to 
his  head  and  walked  away,  whistling  cheerily.  The 

58 


THE    JESUIT 

old  woman  stretched  out  her  hand  with  a  begging 
whine  to  the  officer,  who  dropped  a  coin  into  it. 
The  carriages  drove  on  to  the  Pincio,  and  Fay  and 
Janet  went  home  through  the  shadows  of  the  Via 
Sistina. 


59 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  Marchesa  di  Cassini  came  duly  with  her 
three  daughters  to  make  a  call  on  Mrs.  Lapeer.  As 
a  result  of  this  visit  and  a  proper  exchange  of  cards, 
an  invitation  came  to  the  Lapeers  at  the  Speranza. 
The  card  bore  a  coronet,  and  beneath  it  the  name 
of  the  marchioness,  who  would  be  at  home  on  Satur- 
day, November  10,  from  five  to  seven  o'clock,  at 
the  Palazzo  Cassini. 

November  10  was  a  stormy  day.  Clouds  hung 
bleakly  over  Rome  and  rain  fell  in  torrents,  while 
the  sirocco,  the  damp,  depressing  south  wind,  blew, 
and  moisture  clung  to  the  walls  and  the  marble 
stairways  and  made  everything  disagreeable.  It 
had  its  effect  upon  the  temper,  too,  and  it  was  easy 
to  see  that  Lady  Eger  was  badly  moved  from  her 
usual  tranquil  condition,  and  even  Sir  John,  the 
personification  of  cheerfulness,  smoked  moodily 
alone. 

"  So  you  do  not  want  to  go  to  tea  with  the  Mar- 
chesa di  Cassini,"  Janet  heard  Lady  Eger  ask  her 
brother  when  they  rose  from  a  dismal  luncheon. 

"  No,  Hortense,  I  do  not,"  he  replied  with 
decision. 

A  few  minutes  later,  when  Janet  entered  the  par- 
lor she  found  Sir  John  there,  pacing  the  floor  with 
long  impatient  strides. 

60 


THE    JESUIT 

"  It's  like  being  shut  up  in  a  cage,  and  a  gilded 
cage  at  that,"  he  grumbled. 

"  Why  don't  you  go  out,  Sir  John  ?  " 

"  What's  the  use  ?  I  must  either  walk  the  streets 
or  shut  myself  up  in  a  cab  with  the  cover  up  and  a 
rubber  apron  drawn  over  me.  And  now  comes  that 
tea  at  the  Marchesa's!  I  told  Hortense  I  wouldn't 
go,  but  I  suppose  I'll  have  to,  if  only  to  keep  my  eye 
upon  those  gentlemen  in  the  black  gowns,  who  will 
inveigle  her  into  leaving  them  all  her  money  if  I 
don't  stand  guard!  Not  that  I  want  her  money, 
Miss  Lapeer,"  he  added,  hastily,  a  deep  red  flush 
mounting  to  his  forehead.  "  I  do  not  mind  if  she 
throws  it  away  to  the  beggars  in  the  street,  but  I 
do  not  want  the  Roman  Church  to  have  the  fortune 
dear,  good  Arthur  left  to  her.  And  they  know  just 
how  to  wheedle  the  gold  out  of  one's  pocket,  Miss 
Lapeer,  I  assure  you  they  do.  Now  I've  eased  my 
mind,  I  feel  better.  It  looks  as  if  the  clouds 
were  breaking  away.  I'll  go  cheerfully  into  that 
nest  of  '  Blacks"  and  drink  my  tea  and  find  out 
what  they're  up  to,  but  only  on  Hortense's  account. 
If  it  were  not  for  her — well,  if  it  were  not  for  her, 
I  should  not  be  here  at  all." 

Sir  John  laughed  and  the  cloud  passed  from  his 
honest  face.  When  Janet  saw  him  again  he  was 
drinking  tea  from  a  costly  cup  and  talking  to  an 
elderly  gentleman  in  fluent  Italian.  He  made  a 
grimace  at  her  over  his  cup  and  continued  the  con- 
versation. 

61 


THE    JESUIT 

The  Cassini  Palace  was  massive  and  imposing. 
It  consisted  of  three  stories  built  in  large  blocks  of 
brown  stone,  the  windows  on  the  ground-floor  being 
heavily  barred  with  iron.  At  the  great  door  stood 
a  man  in  uniform,  wearing  a  huge  cocked  hat 
trimmed  with  gold  lace,  slightly  tarnished  with  long 
usage.  He  removed  this  hat  as  the  carriage  drove 
into  the  court,  where  the  ladies  alighted  at  the  foot 
of  a  very  wide  marble  staircase,  having  on  one  side 
a  railing  of  marble,  and  on  the  other  side,  in  niches, 
a  number  of  very  valuable,  very  ancient  statues. 

"  I  wish  we  had  thought  to  get  a  coupe  from  the 
livery  stable,"  murmured  Mrs.  Lapeer,  going  slowly 
up  the  stairs.  "  In  the  midst  of  all  this  grandeur 
our  poor  little  numbered  cab  looks  insignificant." 

"  I  do  not  believe  it  makes  any  difference,"  re- 
sponded Janet,  gently.  "  To  these  people  we  are 
nothing  but  Americans,  and  they  will  never  give  us 
a  second  thought." 

"  I  am  not  so  sure  of  that,"  said  Mrs.  Lapeer  to 
herself,  having  her  own  reasons  for  thinking  other- 
wise. 

Very  keenly  she  noted  the  furnishings  and  ar- 
rangements of  the  palace,  the  splendid  courtyard, 
where  many  carriages  waited  already,  the  long 
series  of  salons  opening  out  of  each  other,  richly 
carpeted,  decorated  with  magnificent  paintings  and 
sculpture,  generously  supplied  with  furniture  in  gilt 
and  damask.  No,  observe  as  closely  as  she  would, 
Mrs.  Lapeer  could  see  no  sign  of  the  decadent,  im- 

62 


THE    JESUIT 

pecunious  nobility  which  she  had  feared  might  be  a 
reason  for  the  very  marked  attention  which  the 
Marquis  di  Cassini  was  paying  to  her  daughter 
Fay. 

The  marquis  came  forward  to  meet  them  from  a 
group  of  men.  "  Mother,  Mrs.  Lapeer  and  her 
daughters,"  he  announced,  pushing  through  the 
crowd  which  surrounded  the  hostess. 

"  I  am  more  than  delighted  to  see  you,"  said  the 
marchioness  in  French  to  Mrs.  Lapeer. 

As  far  as  she  was  concerned,  the  language  might 
have  been  Choctaw,  for  Mrs.  Lapeer  could  not  un- 
derstand one  word  of  French. 

Being  a  lady  of  resources,  she  smiled,  easily  imag- 
ining what  the  marchesa  would  be  likely  to  say  under 
the  circumstances,  murmured  a  few  polite  sentences 
in  her  own  tongue,  and  passed  on  to  a  post  of 
observation,  leaving  her  daughters  to  do  and  say 
the  proper  thing. 

"  I  have  great  hopes  of  Fay,"  Mrs.  Lapeer  said 
to  Janet  a  few  minutes  later.  "  Do  you  see  how  the 
marquis  bends  toward  her  ?  How  devoted  he  looks ! 
She  would  adorn  these  halls,  Janet,  and  I  should 
so  pray  that  she  would  be  happy." 

Mrs.  Lapeer  and  Janet  stood  a  little  apart  from 
the  chattering  crowds  of  men  and  women,  near  a 
heavily  curtained  window.  The  sounds  from  the 
street  below  penetrated  faintly  through  the  glass 
and  draperies.  Janet  grasped  the  mantel  of  a  tall 
console  standing  near  her  to  keep  from  falling  with 

63 


THE    JESUIT 

a  sudden  faintness.  If  a  thunderbolt  had  struck  her 
it  could  not  have  been  more  startling.  She,  too,  had 
noticed  the  very  evident  admiration  which  the  mar- 
quis had  shown  for  Fay.  But  it  did  not  surprise 
her.  Ever  since  she  had  been  a  baby  Fay  had  been 
a  center  of  attraction. 

"  What  do  you  mean,  mamma  ?  " 

"  Janet,  I  have  seen  it  coming  for  a  month,  and 
both  hoped  and  feared  that  it  might  be  possible  for 
the  dear  child  to  love  him.  It  would  be  such  a 
conquest,  Janet.  A  marquis,  and  not  a  poor  fellow 
who  wants  to  exchange  a  title  for  our  wealth — a 
genuine  nobleman,  with  wealth  and  position.  Our 
Fay  would  be  a  marchioness,  a  member  of  a  fine  old 
Roman  family,  with  generations  behind  them,  and 
a  coat-of-arms,  and  all  that.  I've  been  looking 
around  and  everything  shows  prosperity." 

"  A  conquest !  "  groaned  Janet. 

"  Of  course  it  would  be.  My  grandfather  was  a 
country  storekeeper  and  your  father's  mother  was 
a  farmer's  daughter.  Your  father  would  be  so 
pleased,  Janet." 

Mrs.  Lapeer's  face  was  quite  flushed  in  her  excite- 
ment. 

"  I  had  hopes  before,  but  now  I  have  certainty.  I 
intended  to  tell  you  today,  though  I  haven't  men- 
tioned it  to  her.  Last  evening  the  marquis  told  me 
he  loved  her  and  asked  me  to  sanction  the  marriage. 
It  was  really  embarrassing,  and  such  a  responsibility 
for  me  to  take.  I  longed  so  for  your  father." 

64 


THE    JESUIT 


Janet  groaned  again.  If  her  good,  sensible  father 
were  only  here!  How  soon  they  would  leave  the 
marquis  and  his  title  and  fortune  and  Rome  itself 
behind  them !  Janet  could  not  tell  whether  she  hated 
or  loved  Rome. 

"  I  told  him  that  I  could  not  give  him  a  definite 
answer.  That  in  America  girls  decided  these  mat- 
ters for  themselves.  If  Fay  loved  him,  I  should 
not  oppose  the  marriage;  but  I  wouldn't  for  the 
world  drive  her  into  anything  against  her  will.  And 
he  said — " 

"  Miss  Lapeer,  you  have  forgotten  your  promise. 
You  have  never  come  to  see  me." 

"  O,  Mrs.  Potter ! "  exclaimed  Janet,  glad  of  the 
diversion. 

"  This  is  your  mother,  I  suppose.  Madame,  I  am 
glad  to  make  your  acquaintance.  I  have  already 
fallen  in  love  with  your  daughter." 

"  Really,  Mrs.  Potter,  I  have  not  had  a  free  morn- 
ing since — " 

"  My  dear,  no  excuses,  I  beg  of  you.  Once  I 
came  to  Rome  for  the  first  time.  I  shall  never  for- 
get it.  How  sad  that  there  can  be  only  one  first 
time  for  everything  in  our  lives!  The  down  is 
rubbed  so  soon  from  the  peach.  I  see  that  your 
other  daughter  is  already  a  favorite,  Mrs.  Lapeer. 
The  young  marquis  has  eyes  for  no  one  else.  I  have 
heard  flattering  remarks  made  about  her,  and  some 
prognostications  for  the  future." 

'*  Very  kind,"  murmured  Mrs.  Lapeer. 
65 


THE    JESUIT 

"  I  am  not  so  sure  that  they  are  kind,"  was  the 
unexpected  reply. 

Mrs.  Lapeer  looked  surprised  and  a  trifle  an- 
noyed. This  old  lady  was  almost  offensive  in  speak- 
ing so  familiarly  of  Fay  and  the  marquis.  It  was 
not  pleasing  to  have  Fay's  name  bandied  about 
lightly  on  the  lips  of  strangers. 

Janet  hastened  to  say :  "  You  know  all  these  peo- 
ple, do  you  not,  Mrs.  Potter  ?  Can  you  tell  me  who 
they  are?" 

"  With  pleasure,  yes,  I  know  almost  all  of  them 
— some  only  too  well.  Have  you  had  any  tea  yet  ? 
Let  us  go  into  the  dining  room." 

"  Call  Fay,  Janet,"  said  Mrs.  Lapeer,  suddenly 
eager  to  have  her  daughter  under  her  protection 
again.  Mrs.  Potter's  words  had  disturbed  her 
strangely. 

Half  way  down  the  long  salon  they  noticed  a 
sudden  pause  and  parting  in  the  crowd,  and  advan- 
cing toward  them  came  a  man  of  about  sixty-five 
years  of  age.  A  small,  scarlet  skull  cap  was  set  well 
back  on  his  iron-gray  hair,  scarlet  trimmings  were 
on  his  black  robes,  and  scarlet  stockings  showed 
above  his  shoes  as  he  walked  in  a  dignified  manner, 
bowing  to  acquaintances  and  occasionally  stopping 
to  speak  to  a  friend.  Close  beside  him  was  Padre 
Veroni  and  a  little  behind  came  Don  Paolo  Gregori, 
whom  Janet  had  not  seen  since  the  morning  after 
her  arrival  in  Rome.  He  was  paler  and  thinner, 
she  thought,  and  there  were  hollows  around  his 

66 


THE    JESUIT 

eyes  which  told  of  night  vigils  and  long  prayers 
before  the  altar.  Don  Paolo  was  still  a  seeker  after 
that  truth  which  ever  eluded  him. 

"  Cardinal  Perotti ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Potter,  in 
a  subdued  voice.  "  My  dear,  you  are  in  the  presence 
of  the  power  behind  the  throne,  of  the  most  polished 
diplomat  in  Rome." 

Mrs.  Lapeer  stepped  to  one  side  as  she  saw  the 
three  priests  advancing,  and  Janet  and  Fay  did  the 
same,  but  Mrs.  Potter  advanced  serenely,  calmly 
facing  the  cardinal,  whose  austere  face  softened  to  a 
smile  when  he  saw  her. 

"  It  is  Madame  Potter !  My  dear  lady,  I  am  de- 
lighted to  meet  you.  You  have  passed  the  summer 
in  the  Abruzzi,  haven't  you  ?  " 

"  With  the  sister  of  Cardinal  Massimini,  Emin- 
enza." 

"  Precisely.  I  saw  him  a  day  or  two  ago  and  he 
told  me  of  the  great  kindness  which  you  showed  to 
the  poor  peasants  in  the  village.  Ah,  Madame,  if 
all  Protestants  showed  your  liberality,  your  gen- 
erosity !"  He  raised  his  hands  expressively.  Padre 
Veroni  spoke  a  few  words  in  his  ear. 

"  Ah,  yes.  Where  are  they?  "  was  the  cardinal's 
response. 

"  Directly  in  front  of  you,  Eminenza." 

"  Madame  will  permit  ?  "  the  prelate  asked,  and 
with  a  bow  he  passed  on,  followed  by  the  two  priests. 
The  crowd  behind  closed  in  again,  and  the  laughter 
and  hum  of  conversation  began  once  more. 

67 


THE    JESUIT 

"  This  is  Mrs.  Lapeer,  Eminenza,"  said  Padre 
Veroni.  "  Cardinal  Perotti  wishes  to  know  you, 
Mrs.  Lapeer.  And  these  are  her  daughters,  the 
American  girls  of  the  period,  Eminenza." 

The  cardinal  comprehended  the  group  in  a  glance. 
He  saw  the  loving,  ambitious  mother,  in  her  ma- 
tronly dignity,  stately,  composed  Janet,  and  Fay, 
charming  in  her  youthful  beauty. 

"  Then  the  American  girl  of  the  period  is  just 
what  she  ought  to  be,"  responded  the  cardinal.  It 
was  one  of  his  gifts  that  he  knew  the  right  thing 
to  say  at  the  right  moment. 

The  priests  passed  on  and  Mrs.  Lapeer  and  her 
daughters  escaped  to  the  dining  room.  Mrs.  Potter 
had  disappeared,  so  they  made  their  way  with  some 
timidity  to  a  long  table  on  one  side  of  the  splendid 
room.  No  prince  could  boast  more  exquisite  tapes- 
tries than  these  heirlooms  of  the  sixteenth  century. 
There  was  no  handsomer  carved  furniture  to  be 
found  in  Rome  than  this  which  belonged  to  the 
Marquis  di  Cassini.  Servants,  wearing  the  Cas- 
sini  livery,  brown  cloth  with  pink  facings,  stood 
behind  the  tables,  ready  to  dispense  the  dainty  re- 
freshments to  the  guests. 

It  was  then  that  Janet  saw  Sir  John,  who  soon 
forsook  his  elderly  companion  and  came  to  see  what 
he  could  do  for  Mrs.  Lapeer's  comfort. 

"  Tea,  Mrs.  Lapeer  ?  Sandwiches  and  cake  ? 
Please  take  a  good  supply,  for,  big  as  I  am,  those 
dignified  gentlemen  behind  the  table  frighten  me. 

68 


THE    JESUIT 

I  do  not  dare  risk  provoking  their  wrath  a  second 
time.  We'll  just  keep  these  plates  here  and  they'll 
be  convenient  when  you  want  more." 

"  Thank  you,  so  much,  Sir  John,"  said  Mrs. 
Lapeer,  sinking  down  into  a  large  chair  which  he 
moved  toward  her.  "  I  am  tired !  " 

"  So  am  I,"  confided  Sir  John.  "  I  am  always 
tired  at  receptions.  They  are  an  invention  of  the 
evil  one  to  punish  man  for  his  misdeeds." 

"  I  have  not  seen  Lady  Eger,"  said  Janet. 

"  O,  she's  here  somewhere.  There  she  is  yonder, 
talking  to  the  Princess  Malatesta." 

"  Is  that  a  princess  ?  "  exclaimed  Fay  in  such  sur- 
prise that  they  all  laughed. 

;<  Yes,  and  one  of  the  biggest  ones.  They  do  not 
wear  their  coronets  always,  but  take  them  off  for  a 
rest.  Joking  aside  though,  I  hope  you  will  come 
here  some  time  to  an  evening  affair.  They  do  not 
give  any  yet,  for  the  season  is  not  open.  Carnival 
time  is  the  height  of  gaiety.  It  is  really  a  wonder- 
ful sight.  Then  the  princesses  wear  their  coronets 
and  the  display  of  gems  is  magnificent." 

"  I  do  hope  the  marchioness  will  invite  us,"  sighed 
Fay. 

"  I  think  she  will,  if  you  are  very  sweet  to  her. 
Here  comes  the  cardinal  for  his  cup  of  tea.  If 
you've  finished,  suppose  we  go  back  into  the  Green 
Salon." 

Sir  John  hastily  led  the  way  out,  brushing  by 
Padre  Veroni  with  little  ceremony. 

69 


THE    JESUIT 

"What  makes  him  dislike  priests  so?"  inquired 
Fay  when  they  had  bidden  the  marchioness  and  her 
three  daughters  good-by  effusively,  and  the  marquis 
had  accompanied  them  to  their  carriage,  appearing 
to  be  sublimely  oblivious  to  the  fact  that  it  was 
a  numbered  hack,  that  the  coachman's  nose  was  red, 
and  the  horse  limped. 

"  I  don't  know,  I  am  sure,"  replied  the  mother, 
who  was  absorbed  in  her  own  thoughts. 

Janet  was  silent.  She  began  to  understand  why 
Sir  John  Hamilton  disliked  Padre  Veroni. 


70 


CHAPTER  VIII 

"  THOSE  are  the  Americans  of  whom  you  spoke," 
the  cardinal  said,  leaning  his  head  against  the  high 
back  of  his  leather-covered  chair. 

A  gilt  cardinal's  hat,  with  his  coat-of-arms,  was 
stamped  on  the  back  of  this  and  every  other  chair 
in  the  room.  It  was  the  library  of  a  student.  Long 
bookcases  lined  the  walls.  Tables  on  which  reading 
lamps  were  conveniently  placed  stood  in  front  of 
easy  chairs.  The  whole  aspect  was  pleasing  and 
attractive.  It  was  dark  outside  and  the  light  from 
the  lamp  on  the  desk  in  front  of  the  cardinal  shed  a 
yellow  radiance  over  his  face  and  that  of  Padre 
Veroni  who  sat  near  him.  The  rest  of  the  room  lay 
in  deep  shadows.  It  was  a  scene  worthy  of  Rem- 
brandt's brush — the  darkness,  the  narrow  circle  of 
light,  the  two  faces,  the  touch  of  bright  color  in  the 
cardinal's  scarlet  cap,  the  glitter  of  his  ring  as  he 
nervously  tapped  his  white  fingers  on  the  green 
cloth  covering  the  desk. 

"  Yes,  those  are  the  ones." 

"  Tell  me  about  them  once  more.  I  have  for- 
gotten the  details  or,  perhaps,  I  was  not  listening 
intently  when  you  told  me  before.  There  are  three 
ladies." 

"  Yes,  the  mother,  Mrs.  Lapeer,  is  the  widow  of 
a  wealthy  lumberman — " 

71 


THE    JESUIT 

"  What  is  a  lumberman  ?  "  interrupted  the  car- 
dinal. Padre  Veroni  smiled. 

"  I  forgot  that  your  Eminence  had  never  been 
in  America.  He  is  not  a  man  who  cuts  timber, 
necessarily,  but  the  proprietor  of  a  large  lumber 
yard,  from  which  boards  are  shipped  all  over  the 
country.  We,  in  Italy,  where  wood  is  scarce  and 
expensive,  cannot  comprehend  the  vastness  of  this 
business." 

"  I  understand.  Go  on,"  commanded  the  car- 
dinal. "  This  Signor  Lapeer  made  his  wealth  in 
selling  boards.  Rather  a  strange  business,  but  as 
long  as  he  got  rich,  it  is  no  doubt  perfectly  re- 
spectable and  certainly  clean." 

Padre  Veroni  smiled  again,  dutifully,  at  the 
humor  of  his  superior. 

"  And  the  name  Lapeer — is  it  French  ?  " 

"  I  fancy  it  is.  From  something  Mrs.  Lapeer 
said  I  inferred  that  her  husband's  family  came  from 
Canada  and  the  name  was  probably  La  Pierre,  vul- 
garized into  Lapeer." 

The  cardinal  nodded.  "  I  understand,"  he  re- 
peated. "  The  daughters  have  some  French  blood. 
That  accounts  for — Go  on." 

"  To  make  the  story  short,  I  ascertained  that  Mrs. 
Lapeer  is  an  ambitious  woman,  not  for  herself  but 
for  her  children.  She  is  absolutely  in  control  of  a 
large  fortune;  but  more  than  that,  the  daughters 
have  about  a  million  francs  apiece." 

A  short  exclamation  of  surprise  broke  from  the 
72 


THE    JESUIT 

cardinal's  lips.  "  The  board  business  must  have 
been  profitable,"  he  observed. 

"  They  have  no  other  close  relatives.  There  is  a 
sister  whom  Mrs.  Lapeer  mentioned,  but  she  lives 
far  out  in  the  West  and  is  not  a  person  of  much 
consequence.  The  daughters  are  very  attractive." 

"  Particularly  the  older  one,"  remarked  the  car- 
dinal. 

"  Your  Eminence  has  sharp  eyes  and  an  excellent 
intuition  in  character.  Miss  Janet  is  intelligent,  re- 
fined, and,  while  not  beautiful,  has  a  remarkable 
face.  Every  time  I  look  at  her  I  think  what  a 
dignified  abbess  she  would  make." 

"  She  has  no  leanings  toward  the  monastic  life  ?  " 

"  Your  Eminence  forgets  that  they  are  Prot- 
estants," protested  Padre  Veroni,  spreading  out  his 
hands  in  deprecation. 

His  glance  encountered  that  of  the  cardinal,  on 
whose  thin  lips  there  was  a  dry  smile. 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  simply. 

"  The  younger  daughter  is  gay,  thoughtless,  and 
as  attractive  as  most  American  girls  are,  and  that 
is  saying  a  good  deal.  But  she  lacks  depth." 

"  She  has  a  million  francs,  I  believe?  " 

"  So  I  understood  from  her  mother." 

"  Mrs.  Lapeer  seems  to  be  a  confiding  woman  to 
have  disclosed  so  much  of  her  private  affairs." 

"  Mrs.  Lapeer  would  enjoy  the  confessional, 
Eminenza.  She  is  the  type  of  woman  for  whom  the 
confessional  was  made.  She  delights  to  pour  out 

73 


THE    JESUIT 

her  soul  to  someone  whom  she  considers  her  su- 
perior, especially  a  clergyman.  I  have  no  doubt  she 
goes  to  her  minister  at  home  in  the  same  spirit." 

"  And  Padre  Veroni  knew  just  how  to  draw  her 
out,"  remarked  the  cardinal. 

The  priest  smiled  consciously. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  about  it  ?  " 

"  It  is  for  your  Eminence  to  say,"  was  Padre 
Veroni's  humble  reply. 

"  Nonsense !  I  should  have  asked,  what  have  you 
done  about  it?  You  certainly  have  not  allowed  all 
these  weeks  to  pass  without  some  efforts." 

"  I  recommended  them  to  go  to  the  Speranza." 

"Ah!  and  they  went?" 

'  Yes.  I  decided  to  take  rooms  there  myself 
for  reasons  of  convenience." 

"  I  see." 

"  Then  I  introduced  them  to  Lady  Eger." 

"  You  are  a  general,  Padre  Veroni.  Should  the 
Black  Pope's  seat  become  vacant,  I  know  no  better 
candidate  for  his  place." 

Padre  Veroni  glanced  furtively  around,  as  if  to 
pierce  the  darkness.  "  Are  we  alone,  Eminenza  ? 
Even  the  walls  have  ears." 

In  reply  the  cardinal  touched  a  button  on  his  desk 
and  a  door  opened  immediately. 

"  Turn  on  the  electric  lights,  Giuseppe." 

"  Yes,  Eminenza." 

A  flood  of  illumination  fell  upon  the  tall  book- 
cases, the  carved  chairs,  the  mosaic  tables. 

74 


THE    JESUIT 

"  You  see  we  are  quite  alone,"  he  said,  with  a 
touch  of  scorn  in  his  voice.  "So  Lady  Eger  will 
attend  to  the  rest.  Very  well.  The  end  will  be 
achieved  without  doubt." 

"  There  is  another  factor  which  enters  into  the 
question." 

"What  is  that?" 

"  Marchese  di  Cassini  is  a  regular  visitor  at  the 
Speranza." 

"Lady  Eger?" 

"  No,  he  calls  on  the  Lapeers.  Tomorrow,  if  it 
is  pleasant,  they  will  go  to  the  Castelli  Romani  in 
his  new  automobile." 

"  Which  one  is  it  that  he  wishes  to  marry?  " 

"  The  younger  one,  Miss  Fay." 

By  which  it  will  be  seen  that  Padre  Veroni  kept 
a  closer  watch  on  Mrs.  Lapeer  and  her  family  than 
any  of  them  dreamed. 

"  And  the  marquis  is  liberal  ?  " 

"  Decidedly.  He  will  represent  his  constituency 
in  the  Parliament  this  year.  He  has  been  to  the 
San  Rossore  within  the  last  three  weeks,  to  pay  a 
visit  to  the  king." 

"  It  is  strange  that  he  has  these  tendencies  when 
his  father  was  so  intimate  with  Leo  XIII;  and  his 
mother  is  a  devoted  Roman  Catholic.  Floria  is 
now  in  a  convent,  isn't  she  ?  " 

"  She  will  take  the  veil  in  the  spring.  Eminenza, 
the  marquis  is  a  type  of  the  Italian  man  of  the 
present  day.  We  hold  on  to  the  women  through  the 

75 


THE    JESUIT 

confessional  and  our  control  spiritually — and  some- 
times more  than  spiritually — and  through  them  con- 
trol also  their  families.  But  the  men  are  beginning 
to  think  for  themselves.  They  are  slipping  away 
from  us.  If  the  day  ever  comes  when  church  and 
state  are  separated  in  France,  it  will  be  a  serious 
blow  to  the  Church's  power  here  in  Italy.  Already 
there  are  mutterings  of  unrest  in  Spain,  our  strong- 
hold for  so  many  centuries.  And  in  the  ranks  of 
the  priesthood,  there  is  constant  agitation.  Sedi- 
tious and  heretical  books  are  circulated.  The  Prot- 
estants are  making  strides  even  here  in  Rome.  The 
liberal  influences  are  permeating  the  ranks  of  the 
people.  Schools  are  being  established  everywhere, 
not  under  our  control,  but  by  the  government,  and 
by  the  Protestants,  and  the  youth  are  being  in- 
structed in  new  ideas  of  liberty — *  the  voice  of  the 
people  is  the  voice  of  God,'  and  all  that." 

"  The  Pope  has  commanded  Don  Mazzetti  to 
vacate  the  chair  of  theology  in  the  college,"  added 
the  cardinal. 

'  Yes,  because  he  has  lectured  on  free  will  and 
the  right  of  independent  thought.  The  movement  is 
growing.  There  are  hidden  fires  in  the  Church,  as 
dangerous  as  those  which  smolder  in  the  heart  of 
Vesuvius  and  Etna,  which  are  liable  to  break  out 
at  any  moment.  It  does  no  permanent  good  to 
depose  Don  Mazzetti.  His  teachings  are  imprinted 
on  the  minds  of  the  students ;  they  will  follow  him. 
The  cry  of  reform  in  the  Church  has  already  begun 


THE    JESUIT 

and  the  Protestants  are  fermenting  it  and  pushing 
on  the  movement.  Something  must  be  done.  Look 
at  Pierce  over  yonder  in  the  center  of  Rome. 
He  is  establishing  schools  in  country  districts;  he 
is  purchasing  property  in  all  parts  of  Italy  for  the 
missionary  society  he  represents.  They  send  mis- 
sionaries to  Italy,  missionaries  to  the  land  which 
gave  the  Church  to  them!  We  shall  have  to  do 
something  about  this  matter,  and  soon.  The  emi- 
grants go  to  America  and  return,  bringing  fresh 
ideas  of  liberty,  freedom,  and  equality  and  all  such 
nonsense  from  that  rich  republic.  They  bring  over 
heretical  views,  too,  and  during  the  long  winter 
evenings  they  talk  about  these  things  among  their 
families  and  friends.  The  consequence  is  that  many 
adopt  the  Protestant  religion,  or,  if  not,  the  in- 
fluence of  the  parish  priest  is  diminished.  In  one 
case,  the  population  of  an  entire  village  have  for- 
saken the  faith  of  their  fathers,  and  Pierce  has  sent 
a  minister  there,  a  sort  of  colporteur  who  sells  Bibles 
to  the  people  for  miles  around.  The  priest  got  hold 
of  some  of  the  Bibles  and  burned  them  in  the  public 
square,  but  it  created  such  a  disturbance  that  he  was 
obliged  to  desist.  Things  are  coming  to  a  pretty 
pass  when  a  priest  is  at  the  mercy  of  a  crowd  of 
miserable  contadini!  This  happened  in  southern 
Italy  and  Sicily,  too." 

Padre  Veroni  did  not  add,  as  he  might  have  done, 
"  and  where,  up  to  within  a  few  years,  until  the 
establishment  of  schools  by  the  government,  seventy- 

77 


THE    JESUIT 

five  per  cent  of  the  population  could  neither  read  nor 
write." 

In  his  excitement  the  priest  had  risen  from  his 
chair  and  was  pacing  the  floor  of  the  long  library, 
pausing  for  a  moment  in  front  of  the  cardinal  to 
emphasize  some  remark  with  a  rapid  gesture,  then 
continuing  his  walk. 

"  I  cannot  think  that  matters  are  as  bad  as  you 
say,"  rejoined  the  cardinal.  "  Our  priests  are  loyal 
to  the  Church,  and  it  will  be  many  a  long  year,  even 
centuries,  before  the  Pope  of  Rome  will  give  place 
to  a  Protestant  bishop." 

"  That  is  true,  but  the  cry  is  '  Reform !  re- 
form ! '  Have  you  read  Fogazzaro's  new  book, 
II  Santo?" 

"  No." 

"  Read  it,  then,  Eminenza.  I  warn  you  that  you 
will  not  like  it  any  more  than  I  did.  It  will  be 
placed  on  the  Index  of  forbidden  books,  of  course. 
In  fact,  the  Pope  is  already  preparing  the  proper 
document  absolutely  forbidding  any  publisher  to 
print  it,  or  any  shopkeeper  to  place  it  on  sale  on  pain 
of  excommunication.  But  what  good  will  that  do? 
The  evil  is  done,  as  in  the  case  of  Mazzetti.  The 
book  has  sold  enormously;  it  may  have  been  trans- 
lated into  English  for  all  I  know,  and  it  will  con- 
tinue to  be  printed  and  sold.  Thousands  of  men 
in  Italy  today  snap  their  fingers  at  the  bull  of  ex- 
communication. We  are  not  in  the  Dark  Ages, 
but  in  the  twentieth  century,  where  even  the  auto- 

78 


THE    JESUIT 

cratic  Czar  of  the  Russias  has  to  bow  to  the  will  of 
the  people." 

"  I  will  read  Fogazzaro's  book." 

"Do  so,  your  Eminence," — Padre  Veroni's  eyes 
twinkled — "  before  it  is  placed  on  the  Index." 

"About  the  marquis?" 

"  I  had  forgotten  him,  in  this  matter  of  such  vital 
importance  to  me.  I  will  watch  the  progress  of 
events.  Strange  to  say,  it  was  Lady  Eger  who  pre- 
sented the  young  man  to  Mrs.  Lapeer,  and  invites 
him  to  her  room." 

"  Lady  Eger  may  need  watching.  One  can  never 
rely  on  the  converts.  Their  early  training  predis- 
poses them  to  peculiar  ideas." 

"  Lady  Eger  is  all  right.  Converts  are  often 
more  bigoted  than  we  are.  It  is  the  influence  of  her 
brother." 

"  Is  he  back  again  ?  I  thought  that  the  wild 
West  had  swallowed  him  up." 

"  He  is  too  big  to  be  swallowed.  Really,  I  like 
the  man,  he  is  so  wholesome  and  hearty.  But  he 
is  an  important  element  in  the  affair.  I  have  my 
suspicion  that  he  is  attracted — " 

The  servant  opened  the  door  noiselessly. 

"  The  dinner  is  served,  Eminenza." 

"  You  will  remain,  Veroni  ?  I  should  like  to  talk 
with  you  further  on  these  matters  and  others." 

"As  your  Eminence  wishes,"  replied  Padre 
Veroni,  walking  toward  the  dining  room  with  the 
cardinal. 

79 


THE    JESUIT 

The  man  held  a  heavy  velvet  portiere  aside 
that  they  might  enter,  and  another  servant  stood 
waiting  behind  the  cardinal's  chair,  while  a  third 
was  motionless  in  front  of  the  sideboard,  on 
which  a  number  of  massive  pieces  of  silver  were 
arranged. 

A  cover  had  already  been  laid  for  Padre  Veroni, 
who  was  a  frequent  visitor  to  the  cardinal.  The 
apartment  was  in  a  wing  of  the  Vatican  palace  on 
the  second,  or  main,  floor  of  that  great  building, 
under  whose  ample  roof  not  only  the  Pope  and  his 
personal  attendants  but  several  cardinals  and  other 
officials  of  the  Vatican  have  their  homes.  So  enor- 
mous is  the  palace,  that  these  different  persons  can 
have  separate  apartments,  containing  many  rooms, 
and  a  host  of  servants,  without  interfering  in  any 
way  one  with  the  other. 

The  round  table  was  covered  with  a  cloth  of  finest 
Flanders  linen,  in  the  center  of  which  the  cardinal's 
coat-of-arms  was  woven.  Light  fell  in  subdued 
radiance  from  a  superbly  wrought  silver  lamp  sus- 
pended above  the  table.  A  cluster  of  delicate  pink 
chrysanthemums  in  a  rare  vase  were  in  the  center. 
The  china  was  in  the  best  taste,  the  service  unsur- 
passed, and  the  dinner  very  simple  but  fit  for  an 
epicure. 

Cardinal  Perotti  was  a  flower  worshiper.  His 
rooms  were  always  decorated  with  plants  in  full 
blossom,  according  to  the  season.  In  different  parts 
of  the  dining  hall  were  tall  palms,  rose  trees  covered 

80 


THE    JESUIT 

with  buds  and  blossoms,  and  even  the  humble  violet, 
forced  to  flower  at  this  unseasonable  time,  shed  its 
delicate  fragrance  from  a  small  glass  bowl  beside 
the  cardinal's  plate. 

With  the  coming  of  the  fruit  the  servants  disap- 
peared, leaving  the  cardinal  and  his  guest  alone  over 
their  wine  and  grapes,  fresh  from  the  cardinal's 
own  vines  in  his  vineyard  several  miles  outside  the 
city  walls. 

"  I  wanted  to  ask  you  about  Don  Paolo.  Is  he 
doing  well  ?  " 

"  As  far  as  his  work  is  concerned,  he  is  very  suc- 
cessful." 

"What  is  the  trouble  with  him?  I  noticed  his 
serious  manner,  his  apparent  sadness  today.  Even 
in  the  crowd  at  this  afternoon's  reception  he  was 
absent-minded  and  silent." 

Padre  Veroni  broke  off  a  cluster  of  long  white 
grapes,  before  he  spoke.  "  It  is  the  same  old  story 
— reform  and  all  that.  He  has  an  idea  that  the 
Church  has  lost  her  former  simplicity  and  earnest- 
ness ;  that  he  cannot  consent  to  make  the  Church  the 
supreme  and  final  arbiter  in  all  questions,  even  those 
of  doctrine.  He  wants  to  think  for  himself  and 
decide  for  himself." 

"  There  are  a  good  many  others  like  him  in  the 
world,"  remarked  the  cardinal,  raising  his  glass  so 
that  the  light  shone  through  the  ruby  liquid.  Then 
he  drained  the  wine  to  the  last  drop. 

;<  Yes,  that  is  true.  But  why  can't  he  think  what 
81 


THE    JESUIT 

he  pleases,  believe  what  he  pleases,  and  stay  in  the 
Church?" 

"  As  some  of  the  rest  of  us  have,"  responded  the 
cardinal  dryly.  "  For  my  part,  I  think  all  this  agi- 
tation is  foolish,  a  waste  of  time  and  a  tremendous 
wear  on  the  nerves.  Life  is  too  short  for  us  to  try 
to  solve  the  mysteries,  and  the  Church  very  kindly 
and  wisely  takes  the  responsibility  off  our  shoulders. 
But  some  men  are  not  built  on  this  plan.  Fools  are 
not  all  dead  yet.  Does  Don  Paolo  wish  to  leave  the 
priesthood  ?  " 

"  O,  no.  He  has  not  gone  as  far  as  that.  He  is 
groping  and  doubting  and  struggling." 

"  He  needs  more  to  do.  He  needs  to  have  his 
ambitions  aroused.  Is  he  a  man  of  ability  ?  " 

"  Of  great  ability.  He  is  one  of  the  most  eloquent 
preachers  I  have  ever  heard." 

"  Have  him'  appointed  special  preacher  during 
Lent,  in  one  of  the  most  popular  churches,  and  it 
will  excite  his  pride  and  arouse  him.  Take  him 
frequently  to  the  Vatican  and  let  the  Pope  see  him 
often." 

Padre  Veroni  hesitated.  "  I  am  afraid  the 
disease  has  gone  deeper  than  that,  Eminenza,  and 
cannot  be  eradicated  by  such  measures,  but  I  will 
try." 

"  He  is  a  favorite  of  yours  ?  " 

"  I  love  him  as  though  he  were  my  own  son, 
Eminenza.  His  mother,  the  widow  of  my  cousin,  a 
noble  woman,  gave  him  into  my  charge  when  she 

82 


THE    JESUIT 

died.  He  was  then  ten  years  old,  a  cheery,  bright 
boy,  who  soon  grew  to  love  me.  I  educated  him 

at  the  Monastery  of ,  and  trained  him  for  the 

priesthood.  To  my  knowledge,  he  is  thoroughly 
upright.  Until  a  year  or  so  ago  there  never  was  a 
cloud  between  us.  Then  I  found  that  he  was  read- 
ing heretical  books.  I  reproved  him,  perhaps  more 
severely  than  was  wise,  and  punished  him  by  refus- 
ing to  say  farewell  to  him  or  holding  any  communi- 
cation with  him  during  my  absence  in  America. 
On  my  return,  the  Abbot  told  me  that  Paolo  had 
continued  that  which  I  condemned,  but  from  the 
liberal,  socialistic  views  had  begun  to  interest  him- 
self in  atheism,  a  natural  sequence.  I  decided  to 
adopt  other  tactics,  made  friends  with  him  again, 
and  tried  to  take  him  with  me  to  social  gatherings 
such  as  that  today.  The  evil  has  gone  deep." 

"  Has  he  read  Fogazzaro's  book  about  reform  in 
the  Church?" 

"  I  believe  he  has.    I  saw  it  in  his  room." 

"  Has  he  taken  any  special  interest  in  the  evan- 
gelical religion  ?  " 

"  Not  to  my  knowledge.  His  great  desire  seems 
to  be  to  tear  aside  the  veil  of  mystery  which  the 
Church  has  thrown  around  various  doctrines,  and  to 
learn  for  himself." 

"  There  lies  his  extreme  danger,"  continued  the 
cardinal,  rising  from  the  table.  "  To  think  for  one- 
self is  the  essence  of  rebellion.  The  Church  is  our 
mother  and  thinks  for  us." 

83 


THE    JESUIT 

Padre  Veroni  knelt  before  the  cardinal,  and  kissed 
his  hand. 

"  Until  we  meet  again,  Eminenza,"  he  said. 

The  cardinal  smiled  slyly. 

"  So  the  marquis  is  not  to  marry  the  fair  Ameri- 
can ?  "  he  asked. 

Padre  Veroni  avoided  meeting  his  glance. 

"  I  do  not  know,"  he  replied. 

"  How  much  did  you  say  her  fortune  is  ?  " 

"  A  million  francs." 

"  Do  she  and  her  sister  manifest  any  signs  of 
coming  into  the  fold  ?  " 

"  Not  as  yet,  Eminenza.  I  do  not  think,  in  fact, 
I  am  positive,  that  Miss  Lapeer  does  not  like  me  or 
Lady  Eger  either.  She  is  a  girl  of  strong  character 
and  has  a  will  of  her  own.  Also,  she  is  a  Protestant 
of  the  most  difficult  type  to  reach,  like  Sir  John." 

"And  the  other?" 

"  It  remains  to  be  seen." 

"  By  the  way,  I  have  some  tickets  for  the  cele- 
bration of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  on  Decem- 
ber 6.  Would  you  care  to  have  them  for  Lady  Eger 
and  the  others  ?  The  seats  are  in  the  front  row  and 
very  near  where  the  Pope  will  celebrate  mass." 

"  If  you  can  spare  half  a  dozen,  I  can  use  them 
all,"  replied  the  priest.  "  Good  night,  Eminenza." 

The  cardinal  paced  deliberately  up  and  down  the 
long  corridor.  Frescoes  which  had  seen  the  passing 
of  three  centuries  were  on  the  ceiling  above  his  head. 
How  many  plots  and  intrigues  had  been  formed 

84 


THE    JESUIT 

within  these  walls !  The  men  who  had  made  them 
had  long  since  been  laid  in  eternal  rest  beneath  altars 
or  in  high  niches,  where  their  tombs  were  sur- 
mounted by  peaceful  effigies  in  marble,  figures  with 
folded  hands  and  limbs  laid  straight,  and  cardinal's 
hats  hung,  faded  and  old,  above  them.  The  Vatican 
walls  had  stood  while  a  long  procession  of  popes 
and  cardinals  had  lived  their  lives,  leaving  behind 
them  the  results  of  good  or  ill.  Their  influence 
lived  still  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  and  in 
many  instances  had  contributed  in  making  it  what 
it  is  today — a  political  machine,  powerful,  far- 
reaching,  with  its  center  in  the  Vatican,  and  just 
enough  remaining  of  the  former  truth  and  purity 
of  the  early  Church  fathers  to  permit  it  to  hold  sway 
over  the  spiritual  natures  of  the  people  who  bow  at 
its  altars. 

"  A  million  francs !  "  mused  the  cardinal.  "  The 
Convent  of  Our  Lady  of  Sorrows  needs  a  fresh  en- 
dowment. Ah,  well,  we  will  see.  Stranger  things 
have  happened,  and  every  means  available  must  be 
used  in  the  interests  of  the  Church." 


CHAPTER  IX 

FRA  ANTONIO  threw  bits  of  bread  at  the  green 
crested  parrot  whose  perch  was  near  the  door  of 
the  Monastery  kitchen. 

"  Art  never  satisfied,  greedy  bird  ?  "  he  asked, 
sharply. 

The  parrot  cocked  an  eye  at  him  so  impudently 
that  the  monk  was  forced  to  laugh. 

"  An-co-ra !  "  croaked  the  parrot  in  tones  of  com- 
mand, and  Fra  Antonio  meekly  threw  him  another 
piece. 

"  There,  that  is  absolutely  the  last,  Frou-Frou. 
Thou  needest  not  scold.  I  will  not  give  thee 
more." 

"  Let  me  feed  him,"  said  Don  Paolo,  who  had 
come  quietly  up  behind  the  monk.  "  Isn't  it  a 
glorious  day,  Fra  Antonio?  Your  favorite  heathen 
gods  must  be  reveling  in  the  sunshine  and  delicious 
air.  I  believe  it  was  Pan  you  invoked  the  last  time 
I  was  here,  when  the  grapes  were  still  on  the  vines." 

Don  Paolo's  face  was  no  longer  sad  and  wistful, 
but  mischievous. 

"  Thou  art  as  impertinent  as  the  parrot,  Paolo. 
No,  he  cannot  have  any  more  to  eat.  He  will  die 
of  acute  indigestion  some  day,  or  have  a  fit.  Yes, 
thou  wilt,  thou  wicked  bird,"  he  continued,  shaking 
his  finger  at  the  chattering  parrot.  "  Look  out ! 

86 


THE    JESUIT 

He'll  bite  thy  finger  off  if  thou  goest  too  near  him! 
I  don't  see  why  we  keep  him  anyway.  He  never 
even  catches  flies,  let  alone  does  any  useful  work." 

"  Don't  be  so  cross,  good  Brother  Antonio.  After 
I  have  finished  my  errand  to  the  Superior  I  am 
going  out  into  the  open  country  on  the  Campagna, 
where  the  little  pink-tipped  daisies  make  a  soft 
carpet  for  my  feet,  and  the  birds  sing  a  morning 
hymn  to  the  sun.  If  I  were  a  heathen,  I  believe  I'd 
be  a  nature  worshiper — it's  all  so  beautiful." 

"  Didst  ever  write  poetry,  Paolo  ?  "  asked  the 
monk,  so  solemnly  that  the  young  priest  laughed 
again. 

"  I  don't  mind  telling  you  that  I  tried  once, 
Brother  Antonio,  but  I  was  not  successful.  Would 
you  not  like  to  go  for  a  walk,  too  ?  " 

Fra  Antonio  shook  his  bare  head.  Stooping  he 
gathered  some  dead  leaves  from  the  stalk  of  a  white 
chrysanthemum. 

"  No,  I  don't  want  to  go.  Except  when  the  Su- 
perior has  sent  me  on  an  errand  or  for  some  special 
purpose,  I  never  go  outside  these  walls.  Here  is  my 
world  and  one  that  I  love,  too.  Art  leaving  so  soon, 
Paolo?  How  goes  thy  work ?" 

"  I'll  tell  you  another  time,  Fra  Antonio.  Your 
god  Pan  is  playing  on  his  pipe  out  yonder  and  is 
calling  me.  Addio !  " 

"  What  a  boy  he  is ! "  thought  Fra  Antonio, 
watching  the  straight  black  figure  until  it  dis- 
appeared in  the  light  shadow  beneath  the  olives. 

87 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Happy  youth,  our  playtime!  Now,  when  one  is 
as  old  as  I  am,  with  rheumatism  in  my  joints  and 
forced  to  bend  over  in  the  garden  or  in  the  chapel, 
one  has  reason  to  complain.  Since  he  is  reconciled 
to  Padre  Veroni  I  do  not  believe  that  lad  has  a 
care  in  the  world,  still  less  a  sorrow." 

Utterly  ignorant  of  the  conflict  which  was  rend- 
ing Paolo's  soul,  and  which  was  then  driving  him 
relentlessly  to  seek  the  solitude  of  the  open  Cam- 
pagna,  Fra  Antonio  bent  to  his  labors  among  the 
flowers  and  vegetables,  work  which  he  dearly  en- 
joyed in  spite  of  all  his  grumbling.  To  produce 
the  most  perfect  rose,  the  most  spotless  lily,  the 
finest  vegetables,  was  Fra  Antonio's  ambition ;  and, 
indeed,  there  may  have  been  worse  ones  and  more 
harmful,  over  yonder  behind  the  gray  walls  of  the 
splendid  Vatican  palace.  Since  he  entered  the 
Monastery  as  a  young  man  Fra  Antonio  had  been 
entirely  contented  with  his  lot,  and  had  apparently 
never  made  any  effort  to  inquire  below  the  surface, 
accepting  his  food  and  drink  as  a  part  of  his  due, 
and  praying  in  the  chapel  night  and  morning  with 
the  regularity  of  a  machine. 

Don  Paolo  walked  out  the  gate  of  San  Giovanni 
near  the  Church  of  Saint  John  Lateran,  past  the 
stands  of  the  market  woman,  where  late  grapes 
in  white  and  purple  were  piled  in  abundance,  and 
went  briskly  out  into  the  open  country.  Soon  leav- 
ing behind  him  the  overcrowded  tenement  houses, 
occupied  by  hundreds  of  poor  people  because  the 

88 


THE    JESUIT 

rents  are  cheaper  outside  the  walls,  he  struck  off  to 
the  left,  away  from  the  noise  and  confusion,  from 
the  jingling  bell  on  the  tram  going  to  Frascati,  and 
sauntered  through  a  by-path.  Along  the  side,  in  the 
grass,  were  the  pink-tipped  daisies  of  the  field, 
growing  by  the  thousand.  He  picked  a  few  and 
held  them  in  his  hand  as  he  walked,  as  though 
their  freshness  and  beauty  rested  him  and  soothed 
his  troubled  spirit.  It  is  only  the  man  wrapped 
up  in  self  and  selfish  interests  who  cannot  feel  the 
restful  power  of  nature  and  of  nature's  God,  speak- 
ing to  him  through  the  wonderful  objects  which 
he  has  created.  Pascal's  sister  wrote:  "I  was  ad- 
miring just  now  a  little  landscape  presented  by 
my  room,  as  it  was  being  illuminated  by  the  rising 
sun.  How  pretty  it  was !  Never  did  I  see  a  more 
beautiful  effect  of  light  upon  the  paper,  thrown 
through  painted  trees.  It  was  diaphanous,  trans- 
parent. It  was  almost  wasted  on  my  eyes.  It  ought 
to  have  been  seen  by  a  painter.  And  yet,  does  not 
God  create  the  beautiful  for  everybody?"  Some- 
thing of  this  thought  was  in  Don  Paolo's  mind  as 
he  marked  the  lavish  profusion  of  these  dainty 
blossoms,  each  one  perfect  in  itself,  blooming  on 
the  lonely  Campagna,  merely  to  be  seen  by  the  pass- 
ing peasant  in  his  winecart,  or  by  the  occasional 
pedestrian. 

Emerging  from  the  sidepath  the  priest  passed  out 
into  the  high  road.  The  Campagna  lay  spread  out 
before  him,  a  dull,  brown  field,  stretching  far,  far 

89 


THE    JESUIT 

away  to  the  line  of  faint  blue  mountains  on  the 
horizon.  Here  and  there  were  ruins  of  old  castles, 
or  fortresslike  houses,  with  only  one  or  two  small 
square  windows  high  up,  near  the  roof.  Long- 
horned  cattle  grazed  near  and  lifted  their  heads  as 
he  went  by. 

There  was  a  rumble  and  a  toot.  The  priest 
pressed  up  to  the  roadside  to  avoid  disaster,  as  a 
huge  automobile  rocked  toward  him.  It  stopped 
suddenly,  a  little  beyond  him,  and  the  driver  alighted 
to  examine  one  of  the  wheels. 

Don  Paolo  went  slowly  on,  knowing  that  he  could 
not  be  of  the  slightest  service  if  a  breakage  had 
occurred,  as  he  had  never  been  in  an  automobile 
in  his  life  and  had  an  idea  that  they  were  uncanny 
machines,  liable  to  explode  at  the  least  provocation. 
Still,  it  seemed  discourteous  not  to  make  some  offer 
of  assistance. 

The  gentleman  who  was  bending  over  the  wheel 
raised  his  head  just  as  Don  Paolo  arrived  on  the 
scene. 

"  It's  all  right,"  he  said  cheerfully,  nodding  to 
the  ladies  in  the  vehicle.  "  Nothing  is  broken." 

Another  man  had  stepped  to  the  ground  and 
stood  looking  on,  with  his  hands  in  his  pockets. 

"  Get  in  and  we'll  go  on,"  said  the  first  man, 
proceeding  to  jump  into  his  seat. 

"  It's  Don  Paolo ! "  exclaimed  a  voice  which 
sounded  familiar.  "  What  are  you  doing  so  far  out 
in  the  country  ?  You  must  be  a  good  walker." 

90 


THE    JESUIT 

"  I  am,  Lady  Eger.  I  was  tempted  out  by  the 
fine  weather." 

Don  Paolo  removed  his  broad  beaver  hat  with 
its  narrow  cord  of  black  and  stood  bareheaded  at 
the  side  of  the  motor  car. 

"  I  say,  Hamilton,  suppose  we  ask  him  to  go 
with  us,"  suggested  the  Marquis  di  Cassini.  "  Poor 
chap,  he  looks  as  if  he  needed  a  change.  See  the 
hollows  in  his  temples  and  the  blue  veins  in  his 
forehead." 

Sir  John  nodded  acquiescence  and  the  Marquis 
said :  "  Jump  in,  Don  Paolo.  We're  going  for  a 
spin  around  the  mountains  and  have  a  free  place. 
Get  in,  quick." 

Don  Paolo  hesitated.  He  had  a  faint  idea  that 
it  would  not  be  very  dignified  for  a  priest  to  fly 
through  the  country  in  an  automobile.  In  fact,  he 
had  a  lingering  remembrance  of  a  certain  prohi- 
bition against  the  use  of  such  undignified  vehicles, 
issued  by  the  Holy  Father  himself.  It  was  a  great 
temptation.  The  sun,  the  soft  air,  the  blue  line  of 
the  hills  held  out  alluring  charms,  and  he  suddenly 
decided  to  yield  to  his  desire. 

"  I  will  go,"  he  said,  smiling  at  his  own  daring. 

In  an  instant  he  was  in  the  car,  the  marquis  had 
put  on  full  speed,  and  the  Campagna  was  but  a  blur 
of  brown,  so  rapidly  did  they  get  over  the  ground. 
Both  Sir  John  and  the  marquis  were  in  front  and 
Don  Paolo,  to  his  embarrassment,  found  himself 
facing  Lady  Eger  and  Janet. 

91 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Have  you  forgotten  me,  Don  Paolo  ?  "  inquired 
Janet. 

"  By  no  means,  Miss  Lapeer." 

"Then  you  have  met  Don  Paolo!"  exclaimed 
Lady  Eger,  surprised. 

"  Only  once.  My  sister  is  the  young  lady  beside 
you,  sir,  Miss  Fay  Lapeer. 

After  all,  it  was  not  so  embarrassing  as  the  priest 
had  feared.  The  ladies  talked  among  themselves  in 
English,  occasionally  exchanging  remarks  with  Don 
Paolo,  just  enough  to  make  him  feel  at  ease.  He, 
true  to  his  priestly  habits,  drew  a  small  breviary 
from  his  pocket  and  began  to  read,  glancing  up  at 
times  to  see  how  much  distance  they  had  covered. 

They  climbed  the  hill  to  Frascati,  leaving  the 
road  at  a  point  near  the  town  and  striking  off  to 
the  right.  The  olive  groves  were  thicker  now, 
vines  hung  over  the  old  gray  walls  of  the  villas. 
Sharply  pointed  cypress  trees  were  above  the  walls, 
the  green  of  their  lacy  leaves  looking  black  against 
the  deep  blue  sky.  On  and  on  they  went.  The 
grade  became  steeper. 

The  marquis  pulled  up  sharply  in  front  of  an  im- 
posing iron  gate  in  the  wall.  It  was  opened  at 
once  and  the  car  rolled  through  it,  and  passing 
under  rows  of  dark  ilex  trees,  through  which  the 
sun  could  not  penetrate,  he  guided  the  auto  to  the 
door  of  a  white  villa  and  stopped  it. 

"  What  a  surprise ! "  said  Fay,  "  where  are  we, 
Marquis?  Is  this  a  fairy  villa? 

92 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Will  you  alight,  ladies  ?  This  is  my  property, 
and  I  trust  you  will  consider  yourselves  in  your  own 
home." 

"  It  certainly  is  a  delightful  surprise,"  said  Lady 
Eger.  "  I  did  not  know  you  had  a  villa  here." 

"  We  do  not  come  to  it  very  often ;  at  least,  my 
mother  does  not.  She  prefers  our  castle  in  the 
Abruzzi.  My  sister  Floria  and  I  love  this  place." 

"She  is  the  one  in  the  convent,  isn't  she?" 
asked  Fay,  whose  romantic  fancy  was  seized  by 
the  villa  and  its  beautiful  grounds. 

"  The  same.  She  is  to  be  allowed  to  come  home 
by  a  special  dispensation  after  Christmas,  and  then 
I  hope  you  will  see  her.  She  Is  my  favorite  sister. 
Come  in,  ladies.  Pina,  show  the  ladies  to  a  room 
where  they  can  rest,  if  they  wish,  before  luncheon, 
which  we  will  take  out  here  on  the  terrace." 

The  marquis  indicated  a  broad  porch  paved  with 
black  and  white  blocks  of  marble  and  surrounded 
by  a  marble  railing,  over  which  tea  roses  were 
growing  in  wild  luxuriance  and  were  still  full  of 
blossoms. 

Sir  John  and  the  marquis  walked  to  the  end  of  the 
terrace  and,  leaning  on  the  rail,  looked  down  upon 
the  park  spread  out  before  them. 

"  It's  a  fine  place  you  have  here,  Marquis." 

"  I'm  glad  you  like  it.  I  have  kept  it  in  perfect 
order  because  I  like  to  run  away  from  Rome  some- 
times and  spend  a  few  days  here." 

"  I  wonder  whether  you  feel  as  I  do,"  replied 

93 


THE    JESUIT 

Sir  John.  "  I  can't  breathe  in  Rome.  It  smothers 
me.  It  is  history  piled  on  history,  century  piled  on 
century.  The  Romans  are  bound  by  custom.  It 
oppresses  and  stifles  me." 

The  marquis  laughed  softly. 

"  I  do  not  think  it  affects  me  in  that  way.  I  was 
born  there,  and  brought  up  to  know  nothing  else 
but  these  restraints,  which  I  suppose  do  strike  a 
stranger  as  oppressive.  I  love  the  country,  however, 
and  there  are  times  when  I  want  to  be  alone,  to 
think  and  dream  and  plan.  There  isn't  much  time 
for  that  in  Rome." 

"  We  have  forgotten  the  priest !  "  exclaimed  the 
marquis,  suddenly.  "He's  gone  off  for  a  walk.  I 
must  go  after  him.  He'll  think  me  very  rude." 

"  I'll  stay  here  and  smoke,  if  you  don't  object," 
said  Sir  John. 

A  servant  arranged  a  table  on  the  terrace,  spread 
it  with  a  white  cloth,  and  brought  out  the  necessary 
dishes,  casting  glances  of  curiosity  at  the  tall 
Englishman  who  still  leaned  on  the  railing. 

"Was  ever  anything  more  lovely?"  remarked 
Janet,  beside  him,  and  he  threw  his  cigar  down  into 
the  grass. 

"  It's  like  a  bit  of  an  old  book,  isn't  it  ?  And 
yonder  goes  the  peacock.  See  how  vain  he  is  and 
how  he  struts  along  and  shows  his  fine  tail.  I  can't 
imagine  an  Italian  villa  without  a  peacock.  It 
was  a  pleasing  idea  of  the  marquis  to  bring  us 
here." 

94 


THE    JESUIT 

"  And  the  old  sundial !  O,  Sir  John,  what  time 
is  it?  I  want  to  see  how  near  the  shadow  which 
has  crossed  that  dial  for  hundreds  of  years  comes 
to  the  modern  time  piece." 

"  I  suppose  the  dial  ought  to  be  exact,  as  the  sun 
regulates  it,  Miss  Lapeer." 

Sir  John  followed  Janet  with  long  strides,  as  she 
ran  eagerly  to  the  dial. 

"  See  the  beautiful  lizard — like  a  mass  of 
emeralds  in  the  light !  " 

"  You  are  the  first  young  lady  I  have  seen  who 
did  not  run  when  she  saw  a  lizard,  and  cry,  *  O,  Sir 
John,  see  that  horrid  thing ! ' 

Janet  looked  reproachfully  at  him.  "  It  isn't  very 
nice  of  you  to  express  such  views  about  my  sex, 
although  I  appreciate  the  compliment,  I  assure  you 
I  do.  What  time  is  it,  please  ?  " 

"Half-past  eleven." 

"  And  the  dial  says  it  is  noon.  Your  watch  isn't 
right,  Sir  John." 

"  You  make  me  think  of  a  story  I  read  the  other 
day.  An  Irishman  had  a  watch  he  considered  a 
perfect  timekeeper.  He  was  traveling  in  Switzer- 
land and  climbed  to  the  summit  of  Pilatus  to  see 
the  sun  rise.  Watch  in  hand,  he  waited  for  the 
orb  of  day  to  appear.  Finally,  he  got  impatient. 
*  By  my  watch,  it's  time  he  was  here ! '  he  ex- 
claimed. '  And  begorra,  if  he  waits  another  half 
minute,  he'll  rise  behind  time ! ' 

"  What  are  you  two  laughing  about  ? "  called 
95 


THE    JESUIT 

Lady  Eger.  "  The  marquis  says  you  must  come 
back.  Luncheon  is  ready  and  I'm  so  hungry,  after 
that  delightful  ride  over  the  Campagna.  Do  hurry, 
John." 

Time  seemed  to  stay  its  course  that  day  at  the 
villa.  The  peacock  spread  his  fanlike  tail  and 
shrieked  out  his  strange,  piercing  call  to  his  mate 
down  by  the  sundial.  The  flowers  nodded  sleepily 
on  the  old  gray  wall.  The  water  in  the  fountain 
fell  softly  and  musically  into  the  basin  below,  where 
calla  lilies  grew  in  a  profusion  of  foliage,  and 
masses  of  ferns  crowded  each  other  in  tropical 
luxuriance.  Luncheon  served,  Lady  Eger  leaned 
back  in  a  rattan  chair  and  closed  her  eyes  for  a 
siesta.  Janet  noticed  how  tired  she  looked,  as  they 
went  down  the  marble  steps  leading  from  the  ter- 
race to  the  garden,  following  the  owner  of  this 
charming  villa,  the  priest,  and  Fay. 

Sir  John  turned  back.  "  I  will  come  at  once," 
he  said.  "  Please  go  on  slowly,  and  I  will  overtake 
you." 

Janet  watched  him  cover  his  sister  with  a  light, 
gay-colored  silk  blanket,  and  then,  when  he  stooped 
and  kissed  her  good-by,  she  hurried  on  with  a 
strange  new  feeling  in  her  heart.  Sir  John  was  so 
strong,  and  Janet,  who,  at  home,  had  been  accused 
of  a  tinge  of  woman's  suffrage  and  emancipation 
views,  felt  peculiarly  weak  and  helpless  here  in 
Rome.  The  very  air  was  laden  with  intrigue  and 
plot  and  counterplot,  which  a  woman's  mind  could 

96 


THE    JESUIT 

not  penetrate,  and  locked  doors  which  her  feeble 
hand  could  not  open. 

When  Sir  John  joined  her  they  went  on  together 
in  silence  and  soon  came  upon  the  priest,  standing 
where  the  full  breadth  of  the  beauty  of  the  Cam- 
pagna  lay  before  him. 

"  Isn't  it  like  the  sea !  "  exclaimed  Janet,  clasping 
her  hands.  "  Down  yonder  as  we  came  from  Rome 
it  seemed  barren  and  brown,  except  for  the  great 
white  patches  of  daisies.  Up  here  it  has  a  blue 
haze  like  that  over  the  Mediterranean.  Rome — 
where  is  Rome?  " 

"  Over  there,"  replied  Sir  John,  indicating  a  gray 
cloud  several  miles  away.  "  There  lies  Rome." 

The  priest  said  not  a  word  at  first,  but  was  ab- 
sorbed in  the  beauty  of  the  scene. 

"  Where  is  the  marquis  ?  "  inquired  Sir  John,  in 
response  to  a  searching  glance  which  Janet  cast 
down  the  shady  path  ahead  of  them. 

"  He  and  Miss  Fay  went  on,"  replied  the  priest, 
drawn  from  his  reverie,  "  but  I — I  could  not." 

"  You  have  doubtless  been  in  these  mountains 
many  times,  Don  Paolo,"  said  Janet. 

"  Yes,  mademoiselle.  But  the  view  is  always 
wonderful,  more  wonderful  each  time." 

"  It  makes  me  think  of  the  prairies,"  remarked 
Sir  John. 

Janet  nodded.  Her  mind  was  with  Fay.  Ought 
she  to  follow  her? 

While  she  was  making  her  decision  the  English- 
97 


THE    JESUIT 

man  threw  himself  full  length  at  the  foot  of  an 
enormous  umbrella  pine.  The  priest  with  a  motion 
invited  Janet  to  a  seat  on  an  old  stone  bench,  in 
the  shadow  of  a  drooping  vine,  and  he  continued 
to  stand,  with  his  delicate  white  hands  half  hidden 
beneath  his  black  gown. 

"  You  are  going  to  see  the  Pope,  mademoiselle?  " 

"  Yes,  Don  Paolo.  We  expect  to  have  a  private 
audience  soon.  Padre  Veroni  is  to  let  us  know  the 
proper  time." 

"  You  see  him  often,  do  you  not  ?  "  inquired  Sir 
John. 

"  Very  frequently.  I  am  every  day  at  the 
Vatican,  by  orders  of  the  Holy  Father.  He  has 
shown  me  much  favor." 

Don  Paolo  sighed  as  he  spoke,  as  though  the 
favor  of  Pius  X  might  be  more  of  a  weight  than  a 
blessing  to  him. 

"  One  must  be  so  very  particular  at  the  Vatican," 
he  added,  hastily,  as  if  to  explain  the  sigh,  "  and 
one  must  take  much  heed  to  his  words,  a  very 
little  expression  of  opinion  is  repeated  as  if  it  were 
of  great  importance.  Several  times  I  have  been 
severely  reproved  for  matters  which  I  considered 
of  no  consequence.  I  would  prefer  to  be  a  priest 
in  a  small  village  in  the  heart  of  the  Appenines, 
than  serve  daily  at  the  Vatican." 

Sir  John  laughed,  and  there  was  the  reflection 
of  a  smile  on  Don  Paolo's  face. 

"  I  am  unwise  to  talk  to  you,  I  know,  but  you 
98 


THE    JESUIT 

are  Protestants  and  my  words  will  not  be  repeated 
— certainly  not  to  Padre  Veroni,"  he  said,  with  a 
sharp  glance  at  Janet. 

"  Certainly  not,"  she  responded,  promptly,  read- 
ing his  glance.  "  The  Jesuit  priest  does  not  like  me 
— nor  I  him,"  she  felt  like  adding,  but  desisted  for 
wisdom's  sake. 

Don  Paolo  was  more  at  his  ease. 

"  I  know  that  I  express  only  what  many  of  my 
colleagues  think  without  putting  into  words.  I  am 
more  frank — shall  I  say  more  reckless?  At  the 
Vatican  there  are  wheels  within  wheels.  Every- 
thing leads  to  something  else.  It  is  like  a  huge 
game." 

"With  religion  left  out,"  remarked  Sir  John. 

Don  Paolo's  eyelids  quivered  slightly. 

"  Of  all  the  gamblers  I  ever  saw,  the  priests  are 
the  worst,  and  the  most  unscrupulous,  and  have 
ever  been  so,"  continued  Sir  John,  sitting  up  and 
running  his  fingers  through  his  hair,  a  sure  sign 
for  him  of  excited  interest.  When  Sir  John  talked 
he  did  not  mince  words. 

Janet  held  her  breath.  This  was  bold  language 
to  a  priest. 

"They  gamble  with  men's  souls  and  reputations 
and  aspirations,  and  the  prizes  are  ambition  and 
luxury  and  show.  Not  all  do  this.  There  are  good 
and  holy  priests  who  live  righteous  lives  and  serve 
God  in  meekness,  but  they  are  usually  in  the  end 
the  tools  of  the  others.  The  whole  system  is 

99 


THE     JESUIT 

wrong.  The  Church  of  the  fathers  was  pure 
and  upright,  but  look  what  the  popes  have  added 
to  it — the  confessional,  the  worship  of  the  Ma- 
donna, the  doctrine  of  the  infallibility  of  the 
Madonna,  the  doctrine  of  the  infallibility  of  the 
Pope,  and  last,  but  in  my  mind  one  of  the  most 
harmful,  the  dogma  of  the  Immaculate  Conception 
of  the  Virgin.  When  Pius  IX  could  not  find  any 
other  means  of  attracting  the  people  he  promulgated 
a  new  dogma,  and  in  a  couple  of  weeks  it  will  be 
celebrated  gorgeously  here  in  Rome.  I  tell  you, 
Don  Paolo,  though  I  suppose  I  ought  to  beg  your 
pardon  for  doing  so,  as  we  have  broken  bread  to- 
gether, I  tell  you,  the  system  is  wrong!  Where 
does  the  beautiful  gospel  of  Christ  come  in,  and 
his  atonement  for  our  sins  ?  Where  is  our  Mediator? 
Is  it  Mary,  the  honored  mother  of  our  Lord?  Is 
it  the  saints,  is  it  the  priests,  or  the  Pope  ?  No,  no. 
It  is  none  of  these.  '  For  there  is  one  God,  one 
mediator  between  God  and  man,  the  man  Christ 
Jesus,  who  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all.'  '  Neither 
is  there  salvation  in  any  other,  for  there  is  no  other 
name  given  among  men  by  which  we  may  be  saved ; 
for  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  shall  bow.'  One 
cannot  find  a  passage  in  the  Bible  where  it  justifies 
the  worship  of  Mary,  or  the  dogma  of  her  Immac- 
ulate Conception. 

Don  Paolo's  face  had  grown  very  pale.  His  hands 
trembled.  He  held  them  out  to  feel  for  something 
tangible,  something  he  could  grasp.  His  faith  in 

100 


THE    JESUIT 

the  Church  had  long  been  undermined,  it  was  now 
slipping  from  him.  He  was  like  a  drowning  man, 
who  had  lost  his  hold  on  the  board  which  had  sup- 
ported him  and  feared  to  perish. 

"  Is  that  true  ?  "  he  stammered. 

"  True !  Of  course  it's  true,  man.  Read  your 
Bible  and  you  will  find  out.  It's  the  principle,  the 
system  of  your  Church  which  is  wrong,  Don  Paolo ; 
it  is  the  system  of  men  and  not  of  God." 

Don  Paolo  stretched  out  his  hand  to  Sir  John, 
who  grasped  it  warmly.  "  I  believe  you  are  right," 
said  the  priest  earnestly  and  fearlessly ;  "  but  what 
will  take  its  place  ?  " 

Sir  John  looked  closely  into  his  face.  "  If  you 
really  mean  that,  come  around  and  see  me,"  he  said. 

"  I  must  go  and  find  Fay."  Janet  sprang  up,  her 
conscience  troubling  her  for  having  forgotten  her 
sister. 


IOJ 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  marquis  and  Fay  were  alone  in  a  pretty  little 
bower  formed  by  bowlders  of  rock  and  heavy  ivy 
vines,  the  growth  of  many  years.  To  the  Italian  it 
was  a  novel  sensation.  He  had  never  been  alone 
with  a  young  lady  before.  The  faithful  chaperon 
was  always  within  sight  or  hearing  of  her  charge. 
He  felt  slightly  embarrassed  at  first,  but  seeing  how 
absolutely  at  her  ease  Fay  was,  he  sat  down  and 
prepared  to  make  the  most  of  his  opportunity.  One 
thing  must  be  clearly  understood,  the  marquis  was  a 
thorough  gentleman,  from  the  crown  of  his  glossy 
head  to  the  toe  of  his  patent  leather  boot — of  ex- 
tremely small  size  in  proportion  to  his  height.  Al- 
though the  Italian  was  insignificant  in  stature  when 
standing  beside  a  giant  like  Sir  John,  he  was  by  no 
means  a  pigmy,  being  taller  than  Fay  Lapeer.  He 
had  no  intention  of  saying  anything  which  could 
embarrass  the  young  lady  left  so  unexpectedly  alone 
with  him.  Mrs.  Lapeer  had  told  him  that  in 
America  young  ladies  decided  questions  for  them- 
selves. His  instinct  told  him,  that  he  must  win  her 
heart  before  he  could  ask  for  her  hand. 

Fay  began  the  conversation. 

"  I  suppose  the  others  will  be  here  in  a  moment, 
Marquis.  How  soon  must  we  return  to  Rome  ?  " 

The  marquis  consulted  his  watch. 
102 


THE    JESUIT 

"  In  about  two  hours,  I  think.  We  ought  to 
start  by  half-past  four  and  it  is  now  three  o'clock. 
Are  you  in  a  hurry  to  leave  ?  " 

He  smiled  at  her,  and  she  turned  away  her  eyes ; 
there  was  that  in  his  which  she  did  not  wish  to 
meet. 

"  I  could  stay  here  forever,"  she  replied,  and  the 
delicate  rose  color  suffused  her  face. 

The  marquis  was  hot-blooded;  the  life  of  sunny 
Italy  ran  in  his  veins  and  made  him  impetuous. 
This  was  no  common  love  which  had  come  to  him, 
but  an  adoration  for  a  type  of  woman  he  had  never 
met  before.  His  judgment,  however,  warned  him 
that  it  was  too  early  to  speak. 

"  I  love  the  place  too.  Have  I  ever  talked  to  you 
about  my  sister,  Floria,  Miss  Fay?" 

"  I  knew  that  she  was  in  a  convent." 

"  And  has  been  for  several  years.  When  she  was 
born  my  mother  dedicated  her  to  Our  Lady  of  Sor- 
rows because  she  thought  the  Virgin  saved  her  life 
by  a  miracle.  Since  she  was  a  tiny  girl  she  has  been 
receiving  religious  instruction.  She  is  not  like 
the  rest  of  us,  dark-skinned  and  dark-eyed;  she 
is  like  a  rose  from  the  north,  fair-haired,  with 
white  complexion,  and  a  pretty  bloom  in  her 
cheeks.  For  a  long  time  we  could  not  tell  where 
she  got  her  coloring.  Then  we  remembered  that  our 
great-grandmother  was  an  Englishwoman.  Her 
portrait  hangs  in  the  villa  yonder.  Would  you  care 
to  come  and  see  it  ?  " 

103 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Indeed  I  should  like  very  much  to  see  it." 

Slowly  they  went  back  through  the  shady  alleys 
to  the  terrace,  where  Lady  Eger  was  still  seated. 

"  I  am  ready  to  go  when  you  are,"  she  called, 
"  but  Miss  Lapeer  and  Don  Paolo  and  my  brother 
have  disappeared  entirely." 

"  I  want  to  show  Miss  Fay  a  picture,"  replied  the 
marquis,  passing  into  the  house. 

Lady  Eger  looked  after  them  with  a  smile  and 
returned  to  her  book,  which  had  lost  interest  to  her. 
The  letters  danced  in  hopeless  confusion,  and  she 
put  up  her  hand  to  wipe  away  a  tear. 

"  Here  she  is,  Miss  Fay,  and  Floria  is  her  image 
— the  same  broad  forehead,  the  same  lovely,  inno- 
cent blue  eyes,  the  same  sweet  mouth." 

The  dame  of  a  century  before  was  depicted  sitting 
on  a  carved  stone  bench  in  a  park,  evidently  the  very 
one  in  which  they  had  been  that  afternoon.  At  her 
feet  lay  a  greyhound  with  delicate  head  lifted  to- 
ward her.  One  hand  rested  on  his  head.  A  gown 
of  blue  silk,  richly  trimmed  with  Venetian  point- 
lace,  fell  in  full  folds  around  the  girlish  form. 

"  We  made  Floria  dress  up  in  it  once,"  said  the 
marquis.  "  The  gown  fitted  her  exactly.  The  lace 
was  yellow  with  age.  How  beautiful  she  looked! 
O,  God ! "  he  exclaimed  with  such  ardor  that  Fay 
started  with  surprise.  His  eyes  were  full  of  tears. 

Involuntarily  she  held  out  her  hand  to  him. 

"  You  love  her  very  much  ?  " 

"  I  do  and  I  curse  the  day  when  my  mother  forced 
104 


THE    JESUIT 

her  into  a  career  for  which  she  has  no  love,  no  de- 
sire. It  is  heartless,  wicked,  and  I  do  not  believe 
God  ever  meant  her  to  be  shut  up  for  life  in  that 
convent.  Sometimes  I  feel  that  I  must  go  and  take 
her  out.  My  mother  and  I  have  had  many  bitter 
words  about  it.  Her  fate  is  inevitable." 

"  And  if  by  the  sacrifice  of  one  several  souls 
should  be  saved,  what  then  ?  "  said  a  voice  behind 
them,  a  voice  so  constrained  that  they  scarcely  rec- 
ognized it  as  belonging  to  Lady  Eger. 

"  That  one  should  not  be  Floria,"  the  marquis 
replied,  slowly,  but  with  strong  feeling,  as  he  turned 
and  faced  the  speaker.  "  There  are  many  who  wish 
to  enter  a  convent,  who  have  a  vocation.  Let  them 
go  and  bury  themselves  and  say  prayers  from  morn- 
ing till  night,  though  for  myself  I  believe  there  is 
more  grandeur  in  living  and  fighting  the  battle  of 
life  side  by  side  with  our  fellow-men." 

He  looked  like  a  true  scion  of  the  nobility,  did  this 
heir  of  an  old  Italian  family,  standing  there  with 
head  erect,  nostrils  expanded,  and  body  tense  with 
feeling. 

In  spite  of  herself,  Lady  Eger's  eyes  were  full  of 
admiration,  and  on  Fay's  cheeks  burned  two  bright 
red  spots.  It  was  time  to  put  an  end  to  this  scene 
which,  while  impressive,  was  liable  to  lead  to  results 
quite  different  from  those  desired  by  Lady  Eger  and 
Padre  Veroni. 

The  loud  toot  of  the  auto  sounded.  The  big 
vehicle  crunched  on  the  hard  road  by  the  door. 

105 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Get  your  hat,  Fay,  we  must  be  off  or  we 
shall  not  be  home  in  time  for  dinner,"  said  Lady 
Eger. 

The  ride  across  the  Campagna  was  a  quiet  one. 
The  stress  of  deep  emotion  felt  by  every  member 
of  the  party  caused  a  silence  which  after  a  while 
became  oppressive.  Very  swiftly  they  descended 
a  steep  hill.  The  shadows  were  already  darkening 
under  the  olives,  but  on  the  Campagna  the  sun  still 
shone  warmly. 

About  half  way  to  Rome  there  was  a  loud  "  zat- 
bang,"  and  the  auto  stopped.  Despite  the  seeming 
misfortune  every  one  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief,  for 
the  mishap  served  to  break  the  uncomfortable 
nervous  strain  of  the  party.  Sir  John  and  the  mar- 
quis jumped  out  to  examine  the  machinery.  Don 
Paolo,  knowing  as  little  of  machines  of  any  sort  as 
he  did  of  the  Hottentot  tongue,  sat  still,  but  Fay 
joined  the  two  men. 

"  I've  often  driven  an  auto  at  home ;  perhaps  I 
can  be  of  some  assistance  to  you,"  she  said. 

While  they  were  waiting  at  the  side  of  the  lonely 
road  the  sun  suddenly  dropped  below  the  horizon 
and  immediately  that  chill  which  so  characterizes  a 
semitropical  country  was  felt. 

"  How  cold  it  is !  "  Janet  shivered.  "  I  think 
I'll  get  out  too,  Lady  Eger,  and  walk  about  a 
little." 

Don  Paolo  and  Lady  Eger  remained  in  the  car. 

The  loud  whirr  of  another  auto  coming  from  the 
106 


THE     JESUIT 

mountains  behind  them  sounded  and  the  car  drew 
up  beside  them. 

"  Broken  down,  eh  ?  "  called  a  pleasant  voice. 
"  Can  we  give  you  any  assistance?  " 

The  marquis  stood  upright,  having  been  down 
examining  the  front  part  of  his  machine. 

"  No,  thank  you,"  he  said,  then  catching  his 
breath,  he  quickly  removed  his  cap,  and  Sir  John  did 
the  same,  bowing  profoundly  to  the  small  man  in  the 
other  automobile. 

"  Pardon,  your  majesty,"  exclaimed  the  marquis. 
"  I  did  not  recognize  your  majesty  at  first  I  have 
not  yet  found  the  breakage,  but  no  doubt  shall  do  so 
soon.  I  think  it  is  nothing  serious." 

Janet  and  Fay  were  leaning  against  the  automo- 
bile, wondering  what  personage  of  distinction  this 
man  could  be.  They  could  not  understand  Italian. 
Lady  Eger  sat  motionless,  but  the  priest,  after  a 
moment's  hesitation,  rose  and  stood,  removing  his 
beaver  hat,  a  black  figure  against  the  red  sky.  A 
lady  sat  beside  the  gentleman.  Her  face  was  very 
sweet  and  gentle  and  her  eyes  were  large  and 
dark,  resembling  those  glorious  eyes  of  Eastern 
dames,  celebrated  in  poetry  and  song.  Beckon- 
ing with  a  slight  movement  of  her  hand,  she 
motioned  the  marquis  to  come  nearer,  exchanged  a 
few  words  with  him,  glanced  with  some  curiosity  at 
the  two  American  girls,  and  bowed  slightly.  The 
gentleman  gave  a  military  salute,  pulled  his  gray 
cap  over  his  forehead,  and  whirred  on  toward  Rome. 

107 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Who  was  it?  "  asked  Fay. 

The  reply  took  her  breath  away — it  was  so  unex- 
pected :  "  The  king  of  Italy  and  Queen  Elena !  " 

"  Is  it  customary  for  them  to  do  such  kindly 
acts?" 

"  Yes,  Miss  Lapeer.  King  Victor  Emmanuel  is 
both  the  sovereign  and  the  man,  and,  more  than 
that,  he  is  always  a  gentleman.  He  is  an  expert 
automobilist  and  rarely  uses  any  other  vehicle  when 
he  goes  out  for  pleasure.  I  have  met  him  and  the 
queen  many  miles  from  Rome.  But  I  must  attend 
to  this  business,  or  we  shall  not  get  home  tonight, 
and  Mrs.  Lapeer  would  have  reason  to  forbid  your 
going  out  with  me  again."  He  smiled  at  Fay  and 
bent  again  to  his  task. 

The  priest  sank  back  into  his  seat,  knowing  that 
Lady  Eger  was  regarding  him  with  disapproval. 
No  doubt  she  would  tell  Padre  Veroni  that  he  had 
risen  and  removed  his  hat  to  the  king  of  Italy. 
Well,  what  did  it  matter?  A  little  more  or  a  little 
less,  it  was  all  one.  The  blame  would  fall  on  him 
some  day  and  experiences  were  crowding  in  upon 
Don  Paolo,  crowding  so  fast  that  they  bewildered 
him. 

"  We've  found  the  break,"  announced  Sir  John, 
"  and  we  can  mend  it,  but  we  shall  have  to  drive 
very  slowly,  for  the  repair  can  only  be  temporary." 

The  marquis's  face  was  very  red  when  the  job 
was  finished  and  he  wiped  the  perspiration  from  his 
brow. 

108 


THE    JESUIT 

"  If  it  were  anything  but  an  automobile,"  sug- 
gested Fay,  mischievously. 

"  I  should  not  work  so  hard,  eh?  You  are  right. 
When  I  was  down  on  the  ground  trying  to  peer 
into  the  machine  I  heartily  longed  for  Beppo,  my 
good  chauffeur,  and  wished  I  had  brought  him 
along." 

Laughing,  he  assisted  her  in,  sprang  into  his  seat 
beside  her,  and  they  crept  toward  Rome.  It  was  not 
very  cheerful  out  there  on  the  Campagna.  Night 
had  enveloped  the  fields  in  complete  darkness,  al- 
though the  white  road  gleamed  before  them.  The 
marquis  had  to  keep  a  sharp  outlook  for  the  empty 
carts  returning  from  the  city. 

"  The  drivers  go  sound  asleep  under  the  queer 
covers,"  he  explained  to  Fay  once  when  he  was 
obliged  to  turn  out  sharply,  "  and  let  their  horses 
find  the  way  home.  Naturally,  they  take  the  middle 
of  the  road.  Are  you  warm  enough  ?  "  he  inquired, 
solicitously. 

"Perfectly  so,"  replied  Fay. 

They  crept  on  through  the  darkness.  Sir  John, 
meantime,  entertained  his  companions  with  stories 
about  the  king. 

"  I  had  the  honor  of  an  interview  with  him  once, 
being  presented  by  the  British  ambassador.  He 
greeted  me  with  the  utmost  simplicity  and  conversed 
freely  with  me.  He  and  the  queen  are  very  fond  of 
the  country.  They  have  a  villa  near  Rome  to  which 
they  send  their  children  every  fine  day  with  their 

109 


THE    JESUIT 

governess  and  nurses.  Ever  since  Princess  Jolanda 
was  born  an  English  lady,  Miss  Dickens,  has  been  in 
charge  of  the  royal  nursery  and  at  least  two  of  the 
nurses  are  Protestants." 

Fay  leaned  over  the  back  of  her  seat.  "  A  lady 
was  telling  me  such  a  pretty  incident  the  other  day, 
about  the  king.  He  was  going  away  on  an  impor- 
tant visit  to  one  of  the  cities,  and  was  driving  by  her 
house  in  state,  surrounded  by  the  splendid,  tall  coraz- 
zieri.  A  general  in  full  uniform  sat  by  his  side. 
Suddenly  the  king  rose  to  his  feet  and  waved  his 
hands  vigorously.  Amazed  at  such  an  unusual  pro- 
ceeding, the  lady  looked  and  saw  another  carriage 
coming  from  the  other  direction.  On  each  side  and 
behind  the  carriage  were  bicyclers.  I  suppose  they 
belong  to  the  secret  police.  In  the  carriage  were  the 
royal  children,  dressed  in  white,  with  broad  sailor 
hats  on  the  back  of  their  heads.  They  waved  a 
farewell  and  threw  kisses  to  their  father.  I've 
just  loved  the  king  ever  since,"  she  added,  enthu- 
siastically. 

Neither  Lady  Eger  nor  the  priest  had  taken  any 
part  in  the  conversation.  Lady  Eger  shivered  and 
her  brother  drew  her  wraps  more  closely  about  her. 

"  We'll  soon  be  home  now.  The  lights  are  more 
frequent.  Yonder  is  the  gate." 

Mrs.  Lapeer  had  finished  her  dinner  when  the  be- 
lated automobile  drew  up  at  the  door.  Although 
much  worried,  she  determined  not  to  yield  to 
imaginary  fears.  When  her  daughters  entered  they 

no 


THE    JESUIT 

found  her  seated  in  her  own  room,  trying  to  be  inter- 
ested in  the  latest  novel  from  Piale's  circulating 
library. 

"  My  darlings,"  she  cried  as  they  both  fell  upon 
her  and  kissed  her  affectionately. 

"  Were  you  much  worried,  mamma  ?  Our  auto- 
mobile broke  down  half  way  across  the  Campagna," 
said  Janet. 

"  We've  had  such  a  glorious  time,  a  perfect  day, 
luncheon  in  the  most  romantic  garden  you  ever 
could  imagine,  and  on  the  way  home,  we  saw  the 
king  and  queen !  They  stopped  to  speak  to  us.  I'll 
tell  you  all  about  it  after  dinner." 

Fay  ran  gaily  downstairs.  As  Janet  started  to 
follow  her  mother  said :  "  Mrs.  Potter  was  here 
today,  dear,  and  she  wants  you  to  be  sure  to  come 
around  tomorrow  to  see  her.  I  do  not  think  she  is 
very  well." 

"  All  right,  I  will  go." 

"  And,  Janet,"  Mrs.  Lapeer  detained  her  with  a 
light  touch.  "  She  thinks  you  resemble  a  dear 
daughter  whom  she  lost  years  ago.  That  accounts 
for  the  fancy  she  has  taken  for  you." 

Janet  kissed  her  mother  again.  "  You  are  the 
sweetest  mother  in  the  world !  "  she  said. 

"  Thank  God  for  my  girls !  "  was  the  reverent  and 
fervent  response. 


I  ID 


CHAPTER    XI 

THE  Pension  Speranza  was  full  of  guests.  Every 
room  was  occupied.  A  large  delegation  of  priests 
from  America  had  already  arrived  to  attend  the 
coming  festa  in  honor  of  Maria,  Vergine  Immaco- 
lata,  and  besides  other  tourists  had  come  in  on  the 
midnight  train.  When  the  Lapeers  went  down  to 
breakfast,  they  found  the  tables  in  the  dining  room 
well  filled.  The  one  at  which  Padre  Veroni  usually 
ate  alone  was  changed  for  a  larger  one,  around 
which  eight  priests  sat,  enjoying  their  coffee.  They 
were  a  jolly  crowd.  Three  of  them  were  un- 
doubtedly Irish,  and  jokes  flew  merrily  from  one 
to  another. 

Rising  with  a  noise  of  pushed-back  chairs,  the 
priests  made  a  conspicuous  group  in  the  center  of 
the  room.  Waiters  rushed  frantically  forward  to 
assist  them  and  the  tourists  looked  up  from  their 
breakfasts  with  unconcealed  interest.  Lady  Eger 
was  not  there.  She  and  Sir  John  always  break- 
fasted in  their  private  sitting  room,  and  often  Lady 
Eger  did  not  feel  equal  to  rising  early  and  had 
her  coffee  and  roll  and  egg  served  to  her  in  bed. 
She  was  visibly  growing  more  frail,  and  Sir  John 
was  greatly  troubled  about  her. 

Padre  Veroni  and  one  of  the  priests  exchanged 
a  few  words,  then  moved  toward  the  Lapeers'  table. 

112 


THE     JESUIT 

"  Padre  Smith,  Mrs.  Lapeer." 

To  the  lady's  surprise,  the  American  priest  held 
out  his  hand,  smiling  most  blandly. 

"  You  probably  do  not  remember  me,  Mrs. 
Lapeer;  but  I  have  seen  you  many  times.  I  am 
from  Clyde,  Illinois." 

In  a  moment  Mrs.  Lapeer  found  herself  convers- 
ing with  the  priest  with  as  much  ease  as  if  he  were 
an  old  friend. 

Janet  slipped  away  from  the  table,  leaving  her 
mother  and  Fay  talking  with  the  two  priests,  who 
were  soon  joined  by  some  of  the  others.  Their 
account  of  the  festa  which  was  soon  to  take  place 
with  much  pomp  and  ceremony  thrilled  them  both 
with  expectation.  When  Padre  Veroni  assured 
them  that  some  of  the  best  seats  would  be  reserved 
for  them,  by  order  of  Cardinal  Perotti,  they  ex- 
pressed their  delight  in  no  measured  terms. 

A  gentleman  and  his  wife,  at  a  neighboring  table, 
observed  this  little  scene  with  much  astonishment. 

"Isn't  that  Mrs.  Lapeer,  Mary?"  asked  the 
gentleman. 

"  It  certainly  is." 

"  And  Father  Smith,"  chuckled  Mr.  Gray. 

"  I  never  could  have  believed  it  if  I  had  not  seen 
it  myself ! "  exclaimed  his  wife.  "  Imagine  the 
amazement  of  our  friends  at  home,  when  they  hear 
that  our  first  sight  of  Mrs.  Lapeer,  vice-president 
of  our  Ladies'  Aid  Society,  teacher  in  the  Sun- 
day school,  was  when  she  was  talking  to  some 

"3 


THE     JESUIT 

Roman    Catholic    priests.       Wonders    will    never 
cease ! " 

Mrs.  Gray  held  up  two  small,  plump  hands  in  the 
air  to  show  her  disapproval. 

Her  husband  chuckled  again. 

"  Mrs.  Lapeer,"  called  Mrs.  Gray,  as  that  lady, 
with  a  conscious  smile  of  gratification,  started  to 
leave  the  room.  She  fancied  that  even  the  waiters 
looked  more  respectfully  at  her  and  her  dignity  rose 
accordingly. 

"  Mary  Gray !  How  delightful !  and  your  hus- 
band, too.  I  am  so  glad  to  see  someone  from 
home." 

"  I  was  not  aware  that  you  knew  Father  Smith," 
interposed  Mr.  Gray,  smoothing  his  gray  mous- 
tache, while  his  eyes  twinkled  with  mirth. 

Mrs.  Lapeer  grew  rosy. 

"  How  in  the  world  did  you  get  in  with  those 
priests,  Grace  ?  "  inquired  Mrs.  Gray,  with  curiosity. 

"  We  met  Padre  Veroni  on  the  steamer." 

"  Which  one  was  he?  " 

"  The  tall  Italian  priest." 

"  The  one  in  the  gown,"  added  Mr.  Gray. 

"  Yes ;  with  the  ivory-tinted  face  and  straight 
features." 

Mr.  Gray  chuckled  again,  then  changed  it  sud- 
denly to  a  cough. 

"  He's  going  to  get  us  splendid  seats  for  the  big 
festa  of  the  Immacolata  early  in  December." 

"  What's  that?  "  asked  Mrs.  Gray. 
114 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Well,  I  don't  just  know  myself.  It  has  some- 
thing to  do  with  the  Virgin  Mary.  A  great  many 
bishops  and  cardinals  are  coming  and  the  Pope  is  to 
appear.  It  will  be  splendid.  The  papers  are  full 
of  it.  I'll  try  to  get  you  tickets,  through  Padre 
Veroni." 

Mrs.  Lapeer  felt  her  dignity  and  importance  more 
than  ever.  She  had  been  in  Rome  almost  two 
months  and  already  felt  as  experienced  as  an  old 
Roman. 

"  Don't  bother  about  getting  any  for  me,"  hastily 
interrupted  Mr.  Gray.  "  Mary  can  go  if  she  likes. 
I  suppose  you  women  enjoy  those  shows.  That  is 
why  they  have  them.  I  prefer  a  regulation  theater 
myself.  I  came  to  Rome  to  find  out  what  is  doing, 
how  the  Liberals  feel  and  all  that.  No  old  fossils 
for  me,  thank  you." 

"  Do  come  into  our  room  for  tea  about  four  this 
afternoon,  Mary,"  urged  Mrs.  Lapeer,  not  deigning 
to  reply  to  Mr.  Gray's  bald  declaration  of  opinion. 

She  remarked  to  Fay,  as  they  went  upstairs :  "  I 
always  knew  that  Henry  Gray  was  brusque  and  out- 
spoken, but  I  think  he  was  positively  rude  this 
morning." 

"  What  are  they  trying  to  do  with  Grace  ?  "  asked 
Mrs.  Gray,  anxiously.  "Do  they  think  they  can 
make  a  Catholic  out  of  her?  Why,  she  comes 
from  the  best  old  stock.  Her  father  was  a  minister 
and  his  father  before  him.  Why  are  those  priests 
so  friendly?" 

"5 


THE    JESUIT 

"  The  Lord  only  knows,  Mary,"  replied  Mr. 
Gray,  with  unconscious  irreverence.  "  Probably 
they  do  want  to  convert,  or  pervert,  her — I  like  that 
word  best — and  she  has  lots  of  money.  It  would 
pay  them,  Mary.  I  came  to  Europe  for  an  inter- 
esting time,  and  I  believe  it's  beginning  right  here 
in  Rome." 

Mrs.  Potter  was  at  home  that  morning,  when 
Janet  at  last  found  an  opportunity  to  pay  her  the 
promised  visit.  She  was  sitting  sewing  in  her 
apartment  house.  It  was  in  the  old  part  of  the  city, 
surrounded  by  palaces,  whose  walks  could  tell 
strange  tales  of  romance  and  tragedy.  The  six 
flights  of  stairs  were  a  long,  hard  pull,  and  Janet 
stopped  on  each  landing  to  get  her  breath.  She 
was  panting  still  when  the  maid  opened  the  door 
of  Mrs.  Potter's  room  and  stood  aside  that  she 
might  pass  in. 

"  You  are  out  of  breath,  my  child,  and  I  suppose 
you  wonder  why  an  old  lady  like  myself  chooses 
an  apartment  up  under  the  roof  when  she  might 
have  one  in  a  modern  house  with  a  lift.  There  are 
two  reasons.  One  is  that  I  have  lived  here  many 
years,  and  as  time  rolls  over  our  heads  we  love  the 
familiar  corner  and  our  own  particular  easy  chairs. 
Another  reason  is — but  I'll  show  you  later." 

She  was  a  very  garrulous  woman,  and  Janet  did 
little  more  than  say  "  Yes  "  and  "  No,"  while  Mrs. 
Potter  talked  of  the  summer  passed  in  the  Appen- 
ines  with  the  cardinal's  sister.  She  showed  some 


THE    JESUIT 

photographs  of  the  old  man,  sitting  under  the  shade 
of  a  chestnut  tree  in  his  garden,  his  broad  hat  rest- 
ing on  his  knee. 

"  A  dear  old  man  is  the  cardinal,  and  his  sister  is 
one  of  my  closest  friends.  When  I  am  there  I 
always  attend  mass  regularly  in  the  parish  church. 
The  opposition  made  by  Protestants  to  the  Roman 
Catholics  is  most  obnoxious  to  me.  Now,  look  at 
our  friends,  the  Pierces.  Lovely  people!  as  refined 
and  cultured  as  any  I  ever  met,  but  they  regard  these 
matters  in  a  way  which  I  cannot  approve.  My 
natural  instincts  would  be  to  go  to  the  other  extreme 
from  any  form  of  ritualism  or  show,  but  I  have 
lived  in  Rome  for  many  years,  and  I  cannot  see  why 
the  Protestants  should  try  to  convert  the  Roman 
Catholics.  This  is  the  religion  best  suited  for  the 
people  who  love  color  and  music  and  art,  and  all 
these  they  find  in  the  Catholic  Church." 

Janet  was  astonished.  Sir  John  Hamilton  had 
not  talked  this  way — but  he  was  an  Englishman ;  he 
had  his  prejudices.  Still,  Don  Paolo  was  a  priest 
and  knew  all  the  inner  workings  of  the  Church. 
She  remembered  his  white  face,  drawn  with  emo- 
tion as  he  said  to  Sir  John,  "  I  believe  you  are 
right."  Then  there  was  the  Marquis  di  Cassini. 
Janet  was  beginning  to  feel  a  real  respect  for  him. 
He  had  practically  stated  that  the  Church,  as  it 
existed  today,  was  not  suited  to  the  people 
—and  both  the  marquis  and  Don  Paolo  were 
Italians. 

117 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Come  upstairs  and  see  why  I  prefer  to  remain 
here  rather  than  seek  another  home." 

Mrs.  Potter  led  Janet  out  of  a  door  opening  on  a 
broad  terrace,  flooded  with  sunshine  and  crowded 
with  potted  plants.  Janet  would  have  paused  to 
see  the  view  but  Mrs.  Potter  led  her  on,  up  a  few 
steps  of  concrete,  to  a  small  flat  roof  on  the  top 
of  the  house.  Here  were  more  flowers  and  vines 
and  palms,  a  miniature  garden  with  a  small  cur- 
tained summer  house,  having  a  table  and  chairs 
in  it. 

"  Now  look  to  your  heart's  content,"  commanded 
Mrs.  Potter. 

"  How  beautiful  it  is !  "  exclaimed  Janet,  un- 
consciously lowering  her  voice  almost  to  a  whis- 
per. 

She  was  high  above  Rome.  Below  was  a  mass  of 
irregular  red  and  brown  roofs  from  which  rose 
tall  church  spires  of  various  forms  in  which  great 
bells  hung  motionless.  Domes  were  molded  on  a 
background  of  deep  blue,  Saint  Peter's  dome  and 
cross,  vague  in  the  blue  haze  which  veiled  it,  were, 
as  ever,  the  most  conspicuous  objects.  Far  beyond 
the  roofs  rolled  the  Campagna,  monotonous  as  the 
sea ;  and  beyond  the  fields  were  circles  of  blue  moun- 
tains. 

"  Signorina  Massimini  wishes  to  see  Madame," 
called  the  maid  from  the  foot  of  the  stairs. 

"  The  cardinal's  sister !    I  must  go  down." 

"  May  I  stay  a  moment,  Mrs.  Potter  ?  " 
118 


THE    JESUIT 

"  As  long  as  you  please,  my  dear." 

Janet  sat  down  in  a  chair  and  absorbed  a  view 
which  is  unique  in  the  world.  The  silence  up  here, 
high  up  above  the  bustle  and  din  of  the  city,  was 
oppressive.  Suddenly  a  puff  of  smoke  rose  from  the 
summit  of  Monte  Mario,  a  cannon  boomed  heavily, 
and  simultaneously  the  bells  in  the  steeples  clanged 
out  the  noon  hour.  A  little  one  in  a  tower  close 
by  rollicked  and  swung  back  and  forth  with  such 
a  jolly  sound  that  the  feeling  of  oppression  passed 
away  and  Janet  smiled.  The  whole  world  seemed 
to  have  become  joyous  and  mirthful.  The  clang  of 
bells  ceased  as  rapidly  as  it  began.  Having  said 
good-by  to  Mrs.  Potter,  who  was  talking  volubly 
with  another  elderly  lady,  very  plainly  dressed  in 
black,  Janet  ran  down  the  long  steps  and  made  her 
way  homeward. 

A  little  back  from  a  busy  street,  through  which 
great  vans  rumbled,  carrying  heavy  loads,  and 
crowds  passed  on  their  way  to  work  or  pleasure, 
stood  a  small  unpretending  church.  Janet  entered 
it  to  rest.  She  enjoyed  stopping  at  these  churches, 
hidden  between  high  buildings.  They  were  quiet, 
restful,  and  shadowy.  This  one  was  very  simple 
in  its  decorations,  and  only  half  of  the  square  room 
was  reserved  for  worshipers.  A  high  and  very 
elaborately  wrought  iron  railing  divided  the  church, 
and  on  the  other  side  were  plain  oak  benches,  with 
kneeling  stools  in  front  of  them.  It  was  absolutely 
silent  in  the  church.  One  of  the  peculiarities  of 

119 


THE    JESUIT 

Rome  is  its  sudden  transitions  from  brilliant  light 
to  deep  shadow,  from  extreme  heat  to  penetrating 
chill,  from  the  noise  of  the  streets  to  the  quiet  of 
the  churches.  The  heavy  leathern  curtain  shut  out 
all  sound  of  the  world,  its  hurry  and  its  busy, 
anxious  life. 

Before  the  altar,  where  a  red  light  burned  in  a 
silver  lamp,  knelt  a  nun,  her  face  upraised  to  the 
picture  hanging  above  the  candles  and  other  decora- 
tions. Janet  watched  her  closely  but  saw  not  a 
motion  or  a  quiver.  She  might  have  been  carved 
in  marble,  in  her  absolute  immobility.  A  rustle  of 
garments  was  heard  and  another  nun  entered.  The 
one  kneeling  arose,  made  a  genuflexion  before  the 
altar,  and  left  the  church  by  a  side  door,  while  the 
second  nun  knelt  in  her  place. 

Janet  had  been  so  engrossed  in  watching  the 
singular  movements  of  the  nuns  that  she  had  not 
noticed  the  other  persons  in  the  church.  There  were 
only  three  besides  herself:  a  peasant  woman,  with 
a  tiny  sleeping  child,  which  she  had  laid  on  the  cane 
seat  of  a  chair  beside  her,  an  old  man  who  carefully 
spread  a  gay  bandanna  handkerchief  on  the  cold 
pavement  before  he  knelt  down,  and  a  lady  dressed 
in  deep  mourning,  who  was  on  the  other  side  of  the 
aisle,  a  little  nearer  the  iron  railing  than  Janet  was 
sitting.  There  was  something  familiar  in  the  turn 
of  her  head,  the  stylish  veil  and  the  small  hand,  bare, 
with  several  costly  rings  upon  it.  Idly  wondering 
who  it  could  be,  Janet  watched  her  and  was  startled 

1 20 


THE     JESUIT 

to  see  that  her  body  shook  with  noiseless  sobs.  She 
was  evidently  in  great  distress  and  was  seeking 
relief  on  her  knees  in  the  quiet  little  church.  With 
delicacy  of  feeling  Janet  ceased  to  look  at  her  and 
a  few  moments  later  rose  to  leave  the  church.  At 
the  same  moment  the  lady  dropped  her  light  veil 
over  her  face  and  met  Janet  in  the  hall.  It  was 
Lady  Eger!  Unless  she  was  so  blinded  by  her 
tears  that  she  could  not  see,  she  must  have  recog- 
nized Janet,  but  she  made  no  sign,  and  as  Janet 
passed  out  behind  her  she  saw  Lady  Eger  enter  a 
closed  carriage  which  was  driven  rapidly  away. 

Lady  Eger  did  not  appear  at  luncheon  and  Sir 
John  ate  alone. 

"  Could  you  come  in  to  see  my  sister  at  tea 
time  ?  "  he  asked  Janet  afterward.  "  She  wished  me 
to  invite  you." 

"With   pleasure." 

Janet  showed  her  surprise.  Fay  had  become  a 
constant  visitor  to  the  sitting  room,  but  Janet  had 
not  felt  free  to  go  unless  she  received  a  special  in- 
vitation. 

"Fay,  also?"  she  inquired. 

Sir  John  shook  his  head.  "  She  only  mentioned 
you,  Miss  Lapeer.  I  am  very  anxious  about  my 
sister.  She  grows  weaker  every  day;  she  is  griev- 
ing herself  to  death.  If  I  could  only  persuade 
her  to  leave  Rome  and  come  out  to  my  ranch,  it 
would  make  a  new  woman  of  her.  But  she  will 
not  do  it.  Neither  will  she  see  a  doctor.  Do  you 

121 


THE    JESUIT 

think  you  could — "  his  eyes  finished  the  sentence 
eloquently. 

Janet  understood. 

"  I  will  do  my  best,"  she  replied. 

"  How  would  Lady  Eger  look?  "  she  asked  her- 
self, as  she  waited  an  instant  at  the  sitting  room 
door.  The  picture  of  a  slender  figure,  shuddering 
with  sobs,  a  tear-stained  face,  was  vividly  before  her 
mind. 

"  Come  in !  "  called  a  gay  voice.  "  Ah,  Miss 
Lapeer,  it  is  good  of  you  to  come  and  see  me !  My 
big  brother  says  that  there  is  a  chill  in  the  air  and 
I  must  not  go  out  this  afternoon.  And  he  is  such  a 
tyrant !  I  suppose  he  must  be  obeyed." 

Was  this  the  grief-stricken  woman  who  knelt  in 
the  old  church?  Janet  could  scarcely  believe  it. 
Gowned  in  an  exquisite  gray  princesse  dress,  which 
bore  the  imprint  of  Paris  in  its  flutings  and  dainty 
laces,  with  hands  laden  with  sparkling  jewels,  and 
an  elaborate  coiffure  fresh  from  the  hands  of  Mon- 
sieur Dupont,  who  came  daily  to  arrange  my  lady's 
abundant,  fine  black  hair,  Lady  Eger  was  as  gay 
and  vivacious  as  ever.  But  as  Janet  sat  down  near 
her  she  saw  that  there  were  pathetic  dark  rings 
under  her  eyes  and  a  sad  droop  to  the  mouth. 

"  I  just  wanted  you  today,  Miss  Lapeer.  I  have 
grown  to  know  Fay  well  and  a  dear  sweet  girl  she 
is,  but  today  I  wanted  you  all  alone.  I  want  to  get 
to  know  you,  for  I  feel  we  could  be  friends,  you 
and  I." 

122 


THE    JESUIT 

She  was  very  winning  in  her  manner,  a  charm 
which  Janet  had  long  felt  would  be  irresistible  if 
Lady  Eger  ever  tried  to  exert  it  over  her. 

"  Somehow  I  felt  you  would  understand,"  she 
continued,  leaning  suddenly  forward  and  seizing 
Janet's  hands.  Her  eyes  were  hungry  with  long- 
ing for  that  which  would  never  return. 

"  I  wanted  you  especially  today,  because — because 
— it  is  just  three  years  since  Arthur  died !  " 

A  great  sob  shook  her  body  again,  but  her  tears 
refused  to  flow. 

Janet  stooped  to  kiss  her,  moved  out  of  herself. 
Lady  Eger  needed  her  help;  she  should  have  all 
that  she  could  give. 

"  I  think  I  understand,"  she  whispered,  softly, 
smoothing  the  waves  of  hair,  the  creation  of  Mon- 
sieur Dupont,  away  from  the  white  forehead. 

"  I  have  felt  so  alone.  I  cannot  talk  to  John,  he 
is  so  big  and  strong  and  worries  so  over  me.  I 
have  no  woman  friend.  I  think  it  was  that  which 
drew  me  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  I  could 
pray  to  Mary,  the  mother,  who  had  suffered ;  there 
was  a  link  between  us.  She  knew  how  I  felt,  how 
empty  my  life  is,  with  my  husband  dead  and  my 
baby  snatched  from  my  arms  just  when  I  needed  him 
most.  You  did  not  know  I  had  a  baby?  Here  is 
his  picture.  His  father  died  first,  was  killed  while 
hunting,  just  three  years  ago  today.  And  my  boy 
was  six  months  old  then.  He  lived  a  year,  and 
then  God  took  him.  My  heart  was  hard  against 

123 


THE    JESUIT 

God  then.  Dear  John  came  and  took  me  away,  or 
I  think  I  should  have  gone  insane.  We  came  to 
Rome,  where  I  met  Padre  Veroni.  He  guided  me 
to  the  Church,  but  I  do  not  know  whether  it  was  so 
much  his  influence  as  that  of  a  picture  I  saw  in  a 
country  church  up  in  a  small  village  perched  on  the 
very  top  of  a  mountain.  It  represented  the  mother 
of  Jesus  and  in  her  arms  lay  a  tiny  child.  The  ex- 
pression of  her  face  was  so  womanly,  so  motherly, 
that  it  touched  me  greatly.  Here  was  someone  who 
could  feel  what  I  had  felt,  through  whose  heart  the 
sword  had  gone.  She  had  borne  a  Son  and  had  seen 
him  lie  dead.  She  would  understand.  So  I  went  to 
Mary  and  told  her  all  my  sorrow.  It  was  the 
Madonna  who  drew  me  into  the  Church  and  I  be- 
lieve it  is  she  who  attracts  and  holds  many  women." 

Janet  remembered  what  Mr.  Pierce  had  said: 
"  Remove  from  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  the 
worship  of  Mary  and  you  remove  the  backbone  of 
its  influence.  The  power  of  the  adoration  of  the 
Virgin  keeps  thousands  of  women  in  the  Church." 

"  I  do  not  know  why  I  tell  you  these  sorrows  of 
mine.  We  each  have  our  own  burden  to  bear  and, 
for  the  most  part,  one  must  bear  them  alone. 
*  Laugh  and  the  world  laughs  with  you,  weep  and 
you  weep  alone ! '  is  but  too  true.  Still,  I  felt  that 
you  had  lost  someone  dear  to  you — that  you  could 
sympathize." 

"  Dear  Lady  Eger,"  replied  Janet,  finding  her 
voice  at  last,  "  you  have  paid  me  the  greatest  possi- 

124 


THE    JESUIT 

ble  compliment.  If  I  can  help  you,  let  me  do  so. 
May  I  ask  you  one  question — has  your  new  faith 
brought  you  peace  ?  " 

An  expression  of  pain  crossed  Lady  Eger's  face, 
but  before  she  could  answer  there  was  a  tap  at  trie 
door. 

"  Come  in,"  said  Lady  Eger. 

"  I  will  go  to  my  room  a  moment,  Janet — do  you 
mind  if  I  call  you  that?  We  are  almost  the  same 
age>  7OU  and  I,  though  I  have  been  wife  and 
mother.  Put  the  tea  here  on  the  table,  Angelina. 
Miss  Lapeer  will  serve  it." 

Two  gentlemen  came  in  a  few  moments  later  to 
find  a  cheerful  hostess,  with  a  brow  free  from  care, 
apparently  as  witty  and  charming  as  ever.  But 
Janet  observed  the  trembling  hands,  the  occasional 
quiver  of  the  lips,  like  a  grieved  child,  and  the  deli- 
cate blue  veins  at  wrist  and  temples.  Lady  Eger 
looked  like  a  woman  whose  hold  on  life  was  gradu- 
ally loosening;  the  shadows  of  its  twilight  were 
gradually  enveloping  her. 


125 


CHAPTER  XII 

"  STAY  to  supper,  do,  dear,  and  Graham  will 
take  you  home  before  ten.  We  can  telephone  to 
your  mother  so  she  will  not  be  worried.  You  know 
we  are  holding  special  services  in  our  church  and 
you  will  be  interested  in  hearing  our  pastor  speak, 
even  though  you  may  not  understand  what  he  says. 
He  is  considered  the  most  eloquent  speaker  among 
all  our  evangelical  ministers  in  Italy." 

Janet  hesitated. 

"  She  who  hesitates  is  lost,"  paraphrased  Mrs. 
Pierce,  reaching  up  to  pull  out  a  couple  of  hat  pins. 

"  I  may  as  well  yield  gracefully,  Alda.  The 
temptation  is  too  much  for  me.  It  seems  so  much 
like  home,  and  I  love  baby  so.  Come  here,  you 
darling,  and  let  me  cuddle  you." 

Janet  drew  a  low  rocking  chair  up  in  front  of  the 
tiled  fireplace,  moving  slowly  back  and  forth,  while 
little  Alda  leaned  against  her,  soothed  by  the 
warmth  and  the  gentle  motion.  Outside  a  cold 
autumn  rain  was  falling.  November  was  doing  its 
best  to  keep  up  its  reputation  for  gloom  and  general 
unpleasantness.  Janet  sat  contentedly  watching  the 
blue  flames  shoot  up  the  sides  of  the  well-seasoned 
logs,  cheerily  crackling  as  they  glowed. 

"  She's  gone  to  sleep,"  announced  Mrs.  Pierce, 
removing  the  baby. 

126 


THE    JESUIT 

"  So  she  has.  Alda,  I  do  so  hate  pensions !  If 
it  were  not  for  mother  and  Fay,  I  should  be  tempted 
to  run  away  to  Naples — take  the  first  steamer  home, 
though  it  couldn't  be  home  without  mamma  and 
Fay." 

Mrs.  Pierce  sat  down  beside  her  with  her  work. 

"  Now's  the  time  to  commune,  when  it  pours 
down  out  of  doors  and  there's  a  cheerful  fire  within. 
What's  the  special  trouble,  Janet  ?  " 

"  I  don't  think  there  is  any  special.  It's  new  and 
strange  and  bewildering  here  in  Rome,  and  some- 
times it  makes  me  afraid.  The  Speranza  is  as  com- 
fortable as  can  be  but  the  atmosphere  is  peculiar — 
I  don't  like  it." 

"  Why  not  move  ?  " 

Janet  stretched  out  her  hands  to  feel  the  warm 
glow  of  the  fire  before  she  replied,  and  then  she 
spoke  slowly.  "  Mamma  and  Fay  do  not  feel  as  I 
do,"  she  said.  "  They  like  it  and  enjoy  seeing  the 
priests  and  talking  about  functions  at  Saint 
Peter's." 

There  was  a  pause.  Mrs.  Pierce  devoted  her- 
self to  making  little  Alda's  dress  and  a  gust  of  wind 
drove  the  rain  hard  againt  the  windows. 

"  There's  another  matter  which  troubles  me,  per- 
haps, more  than  it  should.  Do  you  know  the  Mar- 
quis di  Cassini  ?  " 

"  I  have  seen  him.  He  is  a  deputy  and  a  liberal, 
although  his  mother  is  a  rabid  clerical." 

"  Yes.  He  wants  to  marry  Fay,  Alda.  He  spoke 
127 


THE    JESUIT 

to  mamma  about  it.  And  I  think  Fay  likes  him; 
at  least,  I  am  afraid  she  does.  He  is  an  attractive 
man,  and  intelligent;  I  like  him  myself  very  much, 
but  I  do  not  want  Fay  to  marry  him.  I  fear  that 
he  is  an  atheist." 

"  Like  so  many  men  here  in  Italy.  Becoming 
incredulous  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Roman  Church, 
they  oppose  the  priests  in  everything,  and  finally 
end  by  believing  in  nothing  at  all.  That  is  one  of 
the  reasons  why  we  are  here.  The  gospel  has  power 
to  touch  the  hearts  of  these  men  and  lead  them  to 
Christ." 

Mr.  Pierce  entered  and  rested  his  arms  on  the 
back  of  his  wife's  chair.  "  I  want  to  tell  you  of 
an  interesting  incident,"  he  said,  "  Alda  has  known 
of  such  cases  before,  but  I  fancy  that  to  you,  Miss 
Lapeer,  it  will  be  something  unique.  You  remem- 
ber that  priest  who  left  the  church  a  year  ago, 
Alda?  He  is  working  in  a  machine  shop  outside 
Porta  Pia.  Yes?  Well,  it  seems  that  he  has  a 
sister  who  is  in  a  convent  up  in  the  country.  She's 
a  young  girl,  about  sixteen,  and  was  placed  there 
by  her  mother.  It  is  one  of  the  convents  which  the 
nuns  never  leave  after  they  take  the  veil.  The 
pupils  are,  however,  allowed  a  little  freedom.  They 
go  out  to  walk  each  day.  In  some  way  this  child 
managed  to  communicate  with  an  old  nurse  of  hers, 
whom  she  loved  very  much  and  through  her  she 
has  sent  several  letters  to  her  brother.  The  last 
one  came  today  and  he  brought  it  down  to  show  it 

128 


THE    JESUIT 

to  me.  He  is  extremely  anxious  to  help  his  sister 
escape,  but  fears  it  cannot  be  done,  as  he  is  very 
poor,  earning  only  a  few  francs  a  week  besides  his 
board  and  a  rough  bed.  I  tell  you,  Miss  Lapeer, 
the  friends  in  England  and  America  labor  under 
a  terrible  mistake.  They  cannot  see  why  evangelical 
work  is  necessary  in  Rome  and  Italy.  The  people 
are  Christian  already,  they  reason.  The  Roman 
Church  is  all  they  need.  And  then  they  say  that 
our  converts  recant  at  the  last,  that  they  come  to 
us  only  for  what  they  can  get  out  of  us,  and  all 
that.  In  some  cases  I  acknowledge  that  they  do 
recant — a  sign  that  they  were  never  touched  by 
the  spirit  of  the  gospel.  Some  of  them  are  mer- 
cenary, but  these  gradually  drift  away  when  they 
find  out  that  we  do  not  pay  them  for  coming  to 
church,  as  our  enemies  report  that  we  do." 

"  Not  really !  "  exclaimed  Janet. 

"  Didn't  you  know  that  ?  Certainly,  that  is  one 
of  the  least  of  the  reports  which  are  circulated  about 
us.  Of  course  we  are  supposed  to  have  the  evil  eye, 
and  the  poor  people  make  horns  with  their  fingers 
behind  our  backs  when  we  approach.  I  had  a  letter 
from  a  man  just  the  other  day  who  said  he  was 
in  great  need,  and  if  I  would  send  him  five  hundred 
francs  he  would  be  quite  willing  to  '  make  himself 
an  evangelical.' ' 

"How  absurd!" 

"  Isn't  it  ?  Yet,  until  they  learn  better,  that  is  all 
they  know  about  Christianity  and  the  gospel.  But 

129 


THE    JESUIT 

I  have  gotten  switched  off  from  my  story.  That 
money  business  always  irritates  me,  Miss  Lapeer. 
I  have  seen  many  men  and  women  die  in  the  evan- 
gelical faith  since  I  have  been  in  Italy,  and  die 
fighting  against  great  odds,  too — poverty,  separa- 
tion from  their  families,  even  the  loss  of  their 
good  name.  One  of  our  members,  a  young  woman, 
was  afflicted  with  a  cancer  and  was  obliged  to  go  to 
a  city  hospital  for  a  severe  operation.  The  nurses 
are  nearly  all  nuns,  and  they  urged  her  to  repent 
of  her  backsliding  and  confess  to  the  priest.  She 
refused  to  do  so.  They  told  her  that  this  illness 
was  sent  upon  her  as  a  visitation  of  God  because 
she  denied  her  faith.  She  still  refused  to  recant. 
Our  pastor  visited  her  and  prayed  with  her  in  the 
poor  ward  and  the  patients  gathered  around,  and 
even  a  passing  friar  stopped  to  listen.  Every  day 
the  pressure  on  her  was  continued,  but  she  con- 
stantly refused  and  her  patience  and  sweetness  won 
for  her  the  love  and  respect  of  her  fellow-sufferers. 
After  the  operation  was  successfully  performed  and 
she  was  able  to  leave  the  hospital,  she  said  good-by 
to  those  with  whom  she  had  been  associated  for  many 
weeks.  *  If  your  religion  makes  you  so  patient,'  they 
said  to  her, '  we  believe  in  your  faith.' ' 

"  It's  a  beautiful  incident,"  said  Janet.  "  I  had  no 
idea  you  were  really  accomplishing  so  much  here." 

"  We  are  not  accomplishing  it,  Miss  Lapeer,"  said 
Mr.  Pierce,  with  a  quiet  smile.  "  It  is  God !  If 
the  work  be  of  God,  it  will  prosper." 

130 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Now  for  the  letter,  Graham.  I  am  very  curious 
about  the  little  girl  in  the  convent.  It  seems  so 
sad,  and  romantic,  too." 

"  Of  course,  I  was  digressing  again.  Here  it 
is.  I  will  translate  it  freely: 

"  November  i,  19 — . 

"  DEAR  BROTHER  :  I  received  thy  letter  which  brought  me 
bad  luck.  The  Mother  Superior  heard  of  it  and  made  a 
terrible  scene  in  the  convent.  For  two  days  I  have  been 
punished.  Mamma  heard  of  the  affair,  and  they  told  me  she 
was  very  angry  and  called  down  curses  upon  thee.  I  am  now 
watched  more  than  at  first  and  my  letters  are  opened,  so  I 
beg  thee  not  to  write  to  me  at  the  convent  but  to  Palmira 
[the  servant].  I  assure  thee  that  I  can  rely  upon  her. 

"  Thou  wilt  understand  that  I  am  in  a  terrible  situation. 
The  nuns  are  mostly  kind  to  me,  but  are  shrewd.  They  have 
told  mamma  a  sackful  of  lies,  and  one  nun,  who  hates  me 
bitterly,  has  said  that  she  will  have  me  sent  away  from  the 
convent.  If  she  only  would ! 

"  In  February  I  shall  enter  the  novitiate.  Imagine  how 
heavy  my  cross  is !  I  am  praying  to  the  Lord  that  thou  mayest 
soon  find  some  way  for  me  to  escape  this  terrible  fate.  I 
swear  to  thee  that  I  will  not  bring  thee  any  sorrow,  that  I 
will  be  upright  and  good.  Do  not  doubt  it. 

"  When  thou  writest  send  some  stamps,  for  I  have  no 
more  and  the  nuns  have  even  forbidden  me  these. 

"  I  am  writing  in  haste  in  the  midnight  hours.  The  silence 
makes  me  afraid.  I  am  alone  in  my  cell.  Woe  to  me  if 
they  should  know  that  I  am  writing  to  thee !  Comfort  me 
and  send  me  good  news.  I  have  wept  so  much.  I  will  tell 
thee  all  about  it  another  time. 

"  I  implore  thee  to  secrecy  with  everyone  if  thou  wishest 
me  to  live.  Farewell !  Farewell !  Farewell ! 

"  From  thine  unfortunate  but  always  affectionate  sister. 

"  N.  B. — Write  to  me  soon,  and  address  the  letter  to  Pal- 
mira." 


THE    JESUIT 

"  It  is  the  letter  of  an  undisciplined  girl,  that  is 
evident,  but  she  is  sincere  in  her  longings  for  free- 
dom," added  Mr.  Pierce. 

"  But  she  certainly  has  no  vocation,"  said  his 
wife. 

"Supper  is  served,  signora." 

"  Very  well,  Ursula,  we  will  come  at  once." 

"  And  for  lack  of  a  few  francs  must  this  child 
spend  her  life  in  the  convent?  "  asked  Janet  of  Mr. 
Pierce,  pausing  a  moment  at  the  door  of  the  dining 
room. 

"  Yes,  Miss  Lapeer." 

Janet  was  quiet  and  thoughtful  all  through  sup- 
per. Finally  she  said :  "  Has  the  brother  any  plan 
for  releasing  her  from  the  convent  ?  " 

Mr.  Pierce  looked  up  interestedly.  "  O !  you 
mean  the  priest.  Yes,  he  wishes  to  go  to  the  vil- 
lage, find  the  servant  she  speaks  of,  Palmira,  and 
take  the  girl  away  when  she  goes  for  a  walk, 
hoping  to  manage  it  unobserved." 

"  Then  he  will  bring  her  to  Rome?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  How  much  would  it  cost  ?  " 

"  I  think  one  hundred  and  fifty  francs  would  be 
enough.  But  she  would  need  clothing  also." 

Janet  was  silent  for  a  few  moments.  "Suppose 
I  should  provide  both,"  she  said,  finally,  "  do  you 
think  her  rescue  could  be  accomplished  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes,  most  probably,"  replied  Mr. 
Pierce,  taken  aback  by  the  sudden  and  unex- 

132 


THE    JESUIT 

pected    proposition,    "  but    could — would    you    do 
that?" 

"  I  can  and  will  do  it,"  said  Janet,  quietly.  "Will 
tomorrow  morning  be  early  enough  for  me  to  send 
the  money  to  you  ?  " 

"  Quite  early  enough,"  replied  Mr.  Pierce.  "  But 
before  anything  is  done  about  it  I  will  make  in- 
quiries to  be  assured  that  the  story  is  correct  and 
that  she  is  a  girl  of  good  character." 

"  Then  I  shall  wait  until  I  hear  from  you  ?  " 
"  Yes,  Miss  Lapeer,  and  thank  you  very  much." 
He  turned  to  his  wife.    "  We  must  get  ready  for 
church,  Alda,"  he  said,  "  or  we  shall  be  late." 

The  spacious  hall  where  the  Protestant  services 
were  held  was  full  to  overflowing  when  Mr.  Pierce 
and  his  wife  and  Janet  entered  it.  The  minister 
sat  in  an  arm  chair  on  the  platform,  resting  his 
head  upon  his  hand.  Janet  could  not  see  his  face 
until  he  rose  to  give  out  the  first  hymn,  Luther's 
masterpiece : 

A  mighty  fortress  is  our  God, 

A  bulwark  never  failing: 
Our  helper  he,  amid  the  flood 

Of  mortal  ills  prevailing. 
For  still  our  ancient  foe 
Doth   seek  to   work   us   woe; 
His  craft  and  power  are  great, 
And,  armed  with  cruel  hate, 

On  earth  is  not  his  equal. 

The  splendid  volume  of  sound  rolled  forth  from 
the  organ  and  from  hundreds  of  strong  voices. 

133 


THE    JESUIT 

Here,  in  the  heart  of  Rome,  surrounded  by  the 
many  Roman  Catholic  churches  where  sweet  singers 
rendered  in  the  most  artistic  manner  the  music  of 
Palestrina,  and  of  Don  Perosi,  the  talented  priest 
composer,  the  sturdy  hymn  of  Martin  Luther 
reverberated,  out  through  the  open  windows  until 
it  attracted  the  attention  of  those  who  were 
passing.  They  crowded  into  the  room,  some 
standing  at  the  door,  afraid  to  venture  further, 
others,  bolder,  made  their  way  down  the  aisle  and 
forced  those  seated  upon  the  benches  to  move  up 
and  make  room  for  them.  Among  those  who  heard 
the  hymn  was  a  priest  who  was  sauntering  leisurely 
past  the  church.  He  hesitated,  looked  at  the  sign 
over  the  door,  "  Chiesa  Evangelica,"  and,  finally, 
followed  a  man  in  the  garb  of  a  laborer  into  the 
room.  He  stood  near  the  entrance  while  the  last 
verse  was  sung,  seemingly  unconscious  of  the 
glances  of  curiosity  from  those  around  him.  To 
see  a  priest  in  an  evangelical  church  was  not  actually 
unheard  of,  although  a  very  uncommon  sight. 

That  word  above  all  earthly  powers — 

No  thanks  to  them — abideth ; 
The  Spirit  and  the  gifts  are  ours 

Through  Him  who  with  us  sideth. 
Let  goods  and  kindred  go, 
This  mortal  life  also: 
The  body  they  may  kill : 
God's  truth  abideth  still, 

His  kingdom  is  forever. 


THE    JESUIT 

A  stillness  fell  upon  the  congregation.  In  low, 
penetrating  voice  the  pastor  talked  with  God  as  if 
he  were  indeed  present  in  that  place.  Don  Paolo 
involuntarily  shielded  his  eyes  with  his  hat.  He  re- 
mained standing  until  the  pastor  stepped  to  the 
side  of  the  pulpit  and  began  to  speak  freely  and 
without  notes,  quietly  but  directly  to  the  audience; 
then  the  priest  slipped  into  a  vacant  place  in  the  last 
row  of  benches,  and  listened  intently. 

"  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life." 
For  half  an  hour  the  slender,  pale-faced  man  in  the 
pulpit  held  the  breathless  attention  of  his  audience. 
Seldom  was  his  voice  raised  above  a  conversational 
tone,  but  his  own  intensity  was  so  powerful  that  it 
drew  the  people  to  him.  His  style  was  fine,  his 
classical  references  unique  and  finished,  his  rhetoric 
perfect,  but  those  alone  were  not  the  characteristics 
which  impressed  his  hearers ;  it  was  his  absolute  con- 
viction that  he  was  an  ambassador  for  Christ — as 
a  representative  of  his  Master  he  brought  them  the 
gospel  message. 

These  points  were  specially  dwelt  upon — the 
divinity  of  the  only  begotten  Son,  the  fact  that 
whosoever  believed  in  him  should  be  saved,  and 
the  final  consequence  of  this  belief,  everlasting  life. 
He  made  no  attack  on  the  Roman  Church,  but 
preached  the  love  of  Christ  and  his  atonement  for 
our  sins.  There  was  no  mention  of  Mary,  the 

135 


THE    JESUIT 

mother  of  Jesus,  except  once,  when  he  referred  to 
her  as  the  virgin  mother. 

Don  Paolo  drank  in  the  words  of  the  gospel  as 
a  thirsty  man  quaffs  the  water  from  a  spring.  To 
him  they  were  new.  He  had  known  of  Christ  all 
his  life,  the  Christ  of  the  mass,  the  Christ  upon  the 
crucifix,  suffering  and  bleeding,  the  stern  judge 
before  whom  his  mother  knelt  and  prayed  that  he 
would  not  condemn  poor  sinful  men.  But  of  the 
living  Christ,  who  bends  over  this  lost  world  in 
boundless  love,  who  saves  a  sinner  by  his  grace  and 
fills  his  heart  with  his  holy  Spirit,  Don  Paolo  knew 
little,  though  he  had  been  years  in  the  Monastery. 

While  they  were  singing  the  final  hymn  he  left 
the  church,  walked  a  short  distance  up  the  street 
and  returned.  The  room  was  now  almost  empty 
and  the  janitor  was  extinguishing  the  lights.  A 
small  group  of  people  still  stood  near  the  altar. 
They  moved  toward  the  entrance  and  two  ladies 
and  a  gentleman  passed  out.  They  were  speaking 
English.  Don  Paolo  stepped  behind  a  column  and 
stayed  there  till  they  passed  by.  The  last  one  to 
leave  the  hall  was  the  pastor. 

Don  Paolo  went  resolutely  up  to  him  and  laid 
his  hand  on  his  arm.  He  was  so  desperately  in 
earnest  that  he  forgot  the  usual  polite  preliminaries 
and  came  straight  to  the  point. 

"  I  must  talk  to  you.  I  heard  your  sermon  to- 
night. I  want  to  know  more  of  the  evangelical 
religion.  When  and  where  can  I  see  you  ?  " 

136 


THE    JESUIT 

The  pastor  glanced  at  the  priest's  black  robes. 

"  Are  you  ready  to  come  to  me  in  broad  daylight  ? 
My  rooms  are  over  the  church." 

"  I  am  ready." 

"  Very  well.     Come  tomorrow  at  three  o'clock." 

With  a  cordial  clasp  of  the  priest's  hand,  the 
pastor  left  him  to  go  home  to  his  apartment  in  the 
lower  part  of  the  city.  As  one  in  a  dream  he 
threaded  the  winding  streets  unconscious  of  those 
around  him.  The  die  was  cast.  He  knew  that  when 
he  entered  the  home  of  an  evangelical  pastor's  house, 
he  would  draw  upon  himself  reproof  and  perhaps 
disgrace.  What  did  it  matter?  The  bishop's  miter 
and  the  cardinal's  hat,  for  which  he  had  once  longed, 
grew  dim  in  his  mind.  He  had  long  sought  the 
truth — could  he  find  it  in  the  gospel?  He  knew 
the  four  Gospels,  for  he  had  learned  and  read  them 
in  Latin  for  many  years,  but  it  had  never  occurred 
to  him  that  they  meant  anything  personal  to 
him.  The  Church  was  the  mother  of  all  her 
members ;  her  will  prevailed ;  her  voice  decided  what 
the  doctrines  should  be ;  to  her  was  the  final  appeal. 
A  curious  sense  of  liberty  came  to  him  as  if  some- 
one had  freed  him  from  bonds.  The  words  of  that 
last  verse  of  Martin  Luther's  hymn  rang  still  in 
his  ears : 

Let  goods  and  kindred  go, 
This  mortal  life  also: 
The  body  they  may  kill : 
God's  truth  abideth  still, 
His  kingdom  is  forever. 

137 


THE    JESUIT 

Was  this  the  way  John  Huss  felt  when  he  was 
condemned  and  put  to  death?  Did  Savonarola  go 
forth  to  death  from  his  tiny  cell  in  the  Palazza 
Vecchio  in  Florence  with  this  strange,  buoyant 
feeling  of  freedom  ?  "  The  body  they  may  kill : 
God's  truth  abideth  still,"  he  repeated.  Then,  for 
the  first  time,  he  lifted  his  soul  in  direct  prayer: 
"  O  God,  help  me  to  find  thy  truth !  " 


138 


CHAPTER  XIII 

DON  PAOLO  opened  with  his  latch  key  the  great 
"  portone  "  of  the  house  where  he  had  an  apart- 
ment, and  went  up  the  two  flights  of  stone  steps. 
At  intervals,  in  niches  in  the  deep  wall,  small  brass 
lamps  were  set,  having  tiny  wicks  nourished  by 
olive  oil.  They  served  to  make  the  shadows  darker. 

Entering  his  sitting  room  he  lighted  a  student 
lamp,  drew  a  chair  up  to  the  table,  and  taking  a 
Latin  translation  of  the  New  Testament  from  the 
well-filled  book  shelves  he  opened  it  and  began  to 
read,  not  critically,  nor  indifferently,  but  intently, 
from  this  new  standpoint  of  his  soul's  salvation  and 
his  earnest  desire — nay,  longing — for  God's  truth. 
If  the  evangelical  faith  should  prove  to  be  his  faith, 
he  could  well  understand  what  Luther  felt  when 
he  wrote  that  hymn.  Goods  and  kindred  would 
go;  in  some  cases  the  acceptance  of  the  Protestant 
faith  had  meant  death.  All  his  friends  were  in  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church.  They  would  consider  him 
a  traitor.  His  name  would  be  accursed  in  his  own 
family. 

His  Aunt  Rosina,  his  mother's  sister,  had  been  so 
proud  that  he  should  take  orders.  She  had  taught 
his  cousins  to  kiss  his  hand,  in  spite  of  his  remon- 
strances. Aunt  Rosina  was  coming  to  Rome  from 
the  country,  with  her  oldest  son  next  week,  to  attend 

139 


THE    JESUIT 

a  celebration  of  the  Festa  of  the  Immaculate  Vir- 
gin. He  knew  just  how  she  would  look,  with  her 
dear,  honest  face,  wrinkled  and  lined  with  hard 
work  and  much  poverty.  She  would  wear  the  black 
silk  gown  which  her  husband  had  given  her  years 
before,  and  a  string  of  coral  beads,  and  over  her 
abundant  black  hair  she  would  drape  a  lace  scarf. 
He  had  promised  to  get  a  chance  for  her  to  see  the 
Holy  Father ;  then,  she  said,  she  could  die  happy. 

He  could  imagine  her  joy  when  she  saw  him  in 
the  procession  among  the  younger  priests,  for  Pius 
X  desired  his  presence.  If  he  became  a  Protestant, 
would  she  curse  him — her  own  nephew  ?  She  hated 
the  heretics  and  said  they  cast  spells  over  the  chil- 
dren in  the  school.  And  Padre  Veroni? 

Don  Paolo  refused  to  allow  his  thoughts  to  roam 
further,  and  began  to  read  again.  All  night  he 
bent  over  the  pages  of  the  book,  and  when  the  dawn 
broke  in  the  east,  and  the  first  rays  gilded  Saint 
Peter's  dome,  rising  wraithlike  from  the  mists,  he 
threw  himself  down  on  his  narrow  iron  bed,  and 
slept  quietly  until  his  old  housekeeper  aroused  him 
when  she  brought  his  customary  cup  of  black 
coffee. 

Of  the  days  which  followed  Don  Paolo  never  had 
a  very  distinct  remembrance.  He  went  to  visit  the 
evangelical  pastor  and  talked  with  him  for  two 
hours,  promising  to  return  each  day  at  the  same 
hour.  Together  they  studied  God's  Word,  and 
Signor  Berini  patiently  taught  him  and  explained 

140 


THE    JESUIT 

passages  which  were  not  clear  to  him.  More  and 
more  eagerly  Don  Paolo  absorbed  God's  truth,  and 
as  he  did  so  his  path  of  duty  was  pointed  out  to  him. 
It  was  very  narrow  and  straight  and  hard,  but  the 
Saviour  would  walk  with  him.  Don  Paolo  took  no 
pains  to  conceal  his  visits  to  Signer  Berini.  Three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  was  a  very  conspicuous  hour 
for  a  priest  to  enter  a  Protestant  building — Signor 
Berini  had  fixed  that  time  as  a  test.  Signor  Berini 
soon  assured  himself  that  Don  Paolo  was  sincere. 
He  had  nothing  to  gain  by  becoming  an  evan- 
gelical; he  had  a  great  deal  to  lose.  Already 
his  name  was  spoken  in  Rome  as  that  of  a  prom- 
ising young  priest,  a  favorite  at  the  Vatican,  a 
protege  of  Padre  Veroni,  and  a  remarkably  gifted 
speaker. 

The  festa  commenced  on  Saturday.  Don  Paolo 
decided  not  to  make  a  final  break  with  his  early 
associations  until  after  the  celebrations  were  over. 
Perhaps  he  would  feel  differently.  Perhaps  the 
services  would  recall  him  to  his  senses  and  show  him 
that  his  longing  for  soul  liberty  was  but  a  dream 
which  had  no  fulfillment.  Aunt  Rosina  was  coming 
then.  He  would  wait. 

It  was  one  of  these  mornings  when  Don  Paolo 
was  so  disturbed  in  his  mind  that  a  note  was  brought 
to  Janet.  It  told  her  of  the  serious  illness  of  Mrs. 
Potter,  who  had  suffered  a  stroke  of  paralysis  and 
desired  greatly  to  see  her.  The  writing  was 
cramped  and  the  English  was  incorrect. 

141 


THE    JESUIT 

"It  is  written  by  the  cardinal's  sister,  mamma, 
the  old  lady  I  told  you  of.  Were  you  going  out 
today?  Do  you  need  me?  " 

"  Mrs.  Gray  and  I  were  going  shopping." 

"  Then  I  am  sure  I  shall  be  of  no  use,"  responded 
Janet,  smiling. 

"  You  dear  old  Janet !  You  are  the  worst  bar- 
gainer in  Rome,"  said  Fay.  "  What  do  you  suppose 
she  did  the  other  day,  mamma  ?  She  wanted  to  buy 
some  buttons  and  instead  of  going  to  a  first-class 
place,  she  stopped  at  the  little  stand  down  here  on 
the  corner  where  the  cripple  girl  is." 

"  And  paid  double  price?  "  asked  Mrs.  Lapeer. 

"Precisely!" 

"  It  was  raining,"  protested  Janet,  "  and  she 
looked  so  cold." 

Fay  put  her  arm  around  her.  "  I  wish  we  were 
all  like  you,  dear,  and  then  maybe  we  should  see  our 
duty  more  clearly." 

There  was  a  peculiar  note  of  sadness  in  the  words 
which  startled  Janet.  Fay  had  not  been  acting  like 
herself  lately.  She  had  grown  thin  and  pale  and 
the  gaiety  had  gone  from  her  eyes.  Was  there 
anything  troubling  her?  A  vague  fear  seized 
Janet.  Rather  than  have  Fay  suffer  she  would 
prefer  to  see  her  marry  the  marquis,  if  that  were 
her  heart's  desire.  But  lately  she  had  excused  her- 
self several  times  when  he  called  and  had  taken 
refuge  with  Lady  Eger,  whose  cough  kept  her 
closely  confined.  She  had  never  been  well  since  the 

142 


THE    JESUIT 

drive  across  the  Campagna  in  the  chilly  November 
air. 

Janet  took  Fay's  face  between  her  hands  and 
examined  it  with  anxious  care. 

"  You  are  not  sleeping  well,"  she  said,  accusingly. 

Fay  nodded. 

"And  you  eat  like  a  bird.  Don't  think  that  I 
have  not  noticed  your  failings,  miss.  You  shall 
have  a  doctor  tomorrow." 

"No!  No!  I  am  perfectly  well.  A  little  tired 
of  sight-seeing.  That's  all.  I'm  going  driving  with 
Lady  Eger,  it's  such  a  fine  morning  and  we  are 
going  to  see  the  convent  where  Floria  di  Cassini  is." 

"  Poor  girl !  "  exclaimed  Janet. 

"  Do  you  think  so?  I  don't.  I  think  it  must  be 
the  extreme  of  happiness  to  live  such  a  life  of  con- 
secration as  that.  Good-by,  Janet.  Don't  you 
worry  about  me.  I'm  all  right." 

Janet  pondered  several  matters  on  her  way  to 
Mrs.  Potter's.  The  cold,  spicy  air  from  the  moun- 
tains was  an  intoxicant  to  her.  She  felt  as  if  she 
could  walk  miles  without  being  tired.  Fay's  men- 
tion of  the  convent  had  reminded  her  of  the  little 
girl  in  the  country  convent,  who  was  so  weary  of 
the  life  and  wanted  to  escape  from  it.  Poor  little 
creature!  Sixteen  years  old  and  shut  in  from  this 
beautiful  world!  Couldn't  she  serve  God  as  faith- 
fully without  being  confined  in  a  cloister?  There 
was  Floria  di  Cassini  too.  Perhaps  she  longed  to 
escape,  but  dared  not.  In  both  cases  it  was  the 

143 


THE    JESUIT 

mother  who  forced  the  daughter  into  the  convent! 
They  did  not  go  from  a  sense  of  duty.  God  pity 
them! 

She  had  sent  her  money  to  Mr.  Pierce,  but  had 
heard  nothing  more.  She  decided  to  stop  there  on 
her  way  and  see  if  there  was  any  news. 

"  No,  none,"  said  Mrs.  Pierce.  "  Her  brother 
left  yesterday,  but  we  may  have  to  wait  some  time 
before  she  can  get  away.  Graham  wrote  to  the 
mayor  of  the  little  town  and  got  the  best  possible 
report  of  the  girl.  She  is  of  good  character  and 
was  much  beloved  by  those  who  knew  her  before 
she  entered  the  convent.  Can't  you  stay  longer? 
Going  to  see  Mrs.  Potter?  She  is  very  ill  and  I 
am  sorry  to  say  has  two  nuns  for  nurses.  No  doubt 
they  were  sent  by  the  cardinal's  sister." 

"  Aren't  they  good  nurses  ?  "  inquired  Janet. 

"  First-class.  But  Mrs.  Potter  is  a  Protestant  and 
I  hate  to  think  of  her  being  surrounded  by  Roman 
Catholics  in  these  hours  which  may  be  her  last." 

"  What  harm  can  that  do,  if  she  is  a  Protestant?  " 
persisted  Janet. 

"  Wait  until  you  have  lived  five  years  in  Rome 
and  you  will  find  out,"  said  Mrs.  Pierce,  sending 
Janet  away  slightly  indignant,  with  a  feeling  that 
her  old  friend  regarded  her  as  a  child  in  experience. 

This  antagonistic  spirit  still  possessed  her  when 
she  saw  the  nun,  dressed  in  spotless  white,  and  with 
a  white  veil  on  her  head,  bending  solicitously  over 
Mrs.  Potter. 

144 


THE    JESUIT 

"  I  think  she  is  lovely,"  she  thought.  "  So  clean 
and  sweet.  If  I  were  ill,  I  should  like  to  have  her 
nurse  me.  She  is  so  picturesque  and  pretty.  Alda 
is  really  a  little  prejudiced.  I  suppose  she  can't  help 
it.  She  sees  only  the  worst  side.  Besides,  if  Mrs. 
Potter  is  really  conscientious  in  her  religious  views, 
I  don't  see  what  harm  a  cheerful,  sweet  nurse  like 
that  can  do." 

The  nurse  could  not  speak  English,  but  she  bowed 
and  smiled,  and,  rising,  made  a  place  for  Janet  be- 
side Mrs.  Potter's  bed. 

It  was  true  that  Mrs.  Potter  was  very  ill,  and 
Janet  found  her  able  to  speak  only  a  few  words. 
The  doctor  looked  grave  when  he  came  in  with  the 
cardinal's  sister. 

"  She  has  relatives  in  England,  hasn't  she  ?  "  he 
asked. 

"  Yes.     A  nephew,  I  believe." 

"  Better  send  for  him.    Is  he  her  heir  ?  " 

"  How  should  I  know  her  private  affairs  ?  "  the 
cardinal's  sister  replied,  tartly. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  the  doctor  said,  and  taking 
the  patient's  hand  once  more  he  carefully  counted 
the  feeble  pulse. 

A  few  days  later  Mrs.  Potter's  nephew,  a  middle- 
aged  man  from  Edinburgh,  arrived.  Mr.  Potter 
had  never  been  out  of  his  native  land,  was  a  Scotch- 
man to  the  backbone,  and  had  firm  convictions  as 
to  what  he  considered  right.  The  first  sight  of  the 
nuns  shocked  him,  and  he  thus  expressed  himself 

145 


THE    JESUIT 

later  to  Mrs.  Pierce,  when  she  called  to  see  how  Mrs. 
Potter  was  getting  on :  "  You  could  have  knocked 
me  down  with  a  feather.  They  wear  rosaries  at 
their  belts,  they  actually  do,  Mr.  Pierce,  I  assure 
you,  and  medallions  with  Mary's  face  on  one  side 
and  Pope  Pius  X  on  the  other." 

"  They  are  said  to  be  excellent  nurses,"  said  Mr. 
Pierce,  trying  to  console  him. 

"  No  doubt,  no  doubt ;  but,  sir,  they  are  Romish. 
Had  my  poor  aunt  been  in  her  usual  health,  she 
would  never  have  permitted  such  a  thing.  It's  the 
cardinal's  sister  who  did  it;  I  cannot  remember  her 
name.  It's  a  jaw-breaker.  She  is  very  sly,  and  I 
am  sure,  sir,  that  she  is  a  viper,  a  viper,  sir !  "  Mr. 
Potter  solemnly  paced  the  floor  in  his  agitation. 

"  Then  neither  nurse  speaks  one  word  of  English, 
and  I  have  to  receive  information  through  the  car- 
dinal's sister,  and  very  vague  information  it  is.  I 
fear  greatly  that  my  poor  aunt  is  near  her  end. 
It's  a  serious  matter,  Mr.  Pierce,  a  very  serious 
matter." 

Mr.  Pierce  agreed  with  him  on  this  point.  The 
cardinal's  sister  was  not  in  the  house  all  the  time, 
but  when  she  came  she  assumed  command,  and  Mr. 
Potter  was  obliged  to  stand  aside,  though  he  glared 
openly  at  the  sight  of  the  slim  woman  in  black. 

"  Would  you  like  my  wife  to  come?  "  asked  Mr. 
Pierce. 

"  It  would  be  a  favor  if  she  would  do  so  occasion- 
ally, and  Dr.  Meredith,  my  aunt's  pastor,  is  most  at- 

146 


THE    JESUIT 

tentive.  But  my  opinion  is,  sir,  that  when  these 
papists  get  hold  of  a  person  they  hold  on  like  grim 
death.  There's  that  in  it  which  I  cannot  understand. 
How  did  my  aunt  get  so  intimate  with  that  car- 
dinal's sister  that  she  dares  come  in  here  and  regu- 
late everything  and  everybody  ?  " 

"  She  has  been  in  Italy  many  years — "  began  Mr. 
Pierce,  but  the  other  interrupted. 

"  What  of  that,  man,  what  of  that !  Does  being 
in  this  country  make  people  fools  ?  Does  Rome  fas- 
cinate and  hoodwink  them  into  believing  that  black 
is  white  ?  "  he  snorted  with  disdain. 

Before  Mr.  Pierce  could  reply  the  maid  an- 
nounced in  awe-struck  tones :  "  His  eminence,  the 
Cardinal  Massimini !  " 

Mr.  Potter  stopped  short  in  his  rapid  pacings  and 
faced  the  prelate  with  the  air  of  an  infuriated  ani- 
mal, but  before  the  calm  dignity  of  the  old  man  his 
rage  subsided. 

"  I  have  come  to  inquire  how  Mrs.  Potter  is  to- 
day," he  said.  "  Do  I  speak  to  her  nephew,  who 
was  summoned  by  telegram  ?  " 

!<  You  do,  sir.  Potter  is  my  name,"  was  the  gruff 
but  not  rude  reply. 

It  was  difficult  for  anyone  to  be  rude  to  this  aged 
cardinal,  with  his  kindly  face.  It  was  not  that  of  an 
intriguer,  and  yet,  Cardinal  Massimini  loved  his 
Church  above  all  earthly  loves,  and  would  do  much 
to  further  her  interests. 

"  Very  glad  to  meet  you,  Signor.     You  have  had 

147 


THE    JESUIT 

a  long  journey.  I  hope  you  found  your  aunt 
better." 

Mr.  Potter  was  visibly  melting.  His  duties  as 
host  recalled  him  to  his  position  as  head  of  his  aunt's 
household. 

"  Pray,  sit  down,  Cardinal.    This  is  Mr.  Pierce." 

The  name  was  familiar  to  the  cardinal  and  he 
bowed  coldly. 

"  I  regret  to  say  that  I  did  not  find  my  aunt  im- 
proving." 

"  I  am  very  sorry,  Signor.  For  many  years 
Mrs.  Potter  and  my  sister  have  been  friends,  I  may 
say  intimate  friends,  in  spite  of  the  differences  in 
nationality  and  religious  views."  The  cardinal 
smiled  broadly  and  Mr.  Potter  said  to  himself :  "He 
is  a  good  old  chap!  I  need  not  have  been  afraid  of 
him." 

"  Mrs.  Potter  spent  last  summer  at  our  country 
home,  in  the  Abruzzi.  The  peasants  adore  her  and 
call  her  the  'good  Englis  lady.'  They  will  sor- 
row when  they  hear  of  her  illness." 

Mr.  Potter  was  won.  The  cardinal  was  his  aunt's 
friend;  he  should  be  received  as  such.  After  some 
further  conversation  on  general  subjects  the  cardinal 
rose. 

"  It  would  not  be  possible  for  me  to  see  Mrs. 
Potter,  I  suppose  ?  "  he  asked,  tentatively. 

"  Certainly,  sir.  Perhaps  your  sister  is  there 
now." 

With  lamblike  gentleness  Mr.  Potter  led  the  car- 
148 


THE    JESUIT 

dinal  into  his  aunt's  room,  stayed  a  few  moments 
and  then  courteously  left  the  room.  Mrs.  Potter 
was  alone  with  Cardinal  Massimini,  his  sister,  and 
the  nun. 

The  next  morning,  Mr.  Potter  appeared  in  Dr. 
Meredith's  study  in  a  great  state  of  excitement.  He 
had  risen  early  as  was  his  usual  custom,  and  pre- 
pared to  leave  the  house  about  six  o'clock  for  a  con- 
stitutional before  breakfast.  The  apartment  was 
dark  and  quiet  but  the  outer  door  was  wide  open. 
Not  wishing  to  disturb  his  aunt,  he  went  softly  by 
her  room,  the  first  one  near  the  entrance  and  down 
the  stairs.  In  front  of  him  were  two  figures,  moving 
slowly  and  conversing  in  low  earnest  tones.  As  he 
drew  nearer  he  saw  that  one  was  a  priest,  the  other 
a  woman  who  wore  a  white  gown  and  a  white  veil. 
At  first  he  thought  little  of  it,  but  when  he  reached 
the  last  flight,  and  the  woman  turned  and  faced  him 
on  her  way  upstairs,  he  recognized  her  as  one  of 
the  nuns  who  was  nursing  his  aunt.  She  was  plainly 
startled  at  seeing  him  and  glided  quickly  by. 

Mr.  Potter  passed  out  into  the  street  and  walked 
up  on  the  Pincio.  The  early  hour  found  few  people 
abroad.  Here  and  there  a  working  man  could  be 
seen  going  to  his  daily  tasks,  and  some  bakers'  boys 
drawing  their  carts  were  visible.  The  gas  light 
flickered  in  the  lamps  along  the  streets.  The 
Scotchman's  brain  worked  slowly  but  surely.  That 
was  a  very  odd  thing  which  had  occurred.  Why 
were  the  priest  and  nun  on  the  stairs  at  that  hour 

149 


THE    JESUIT 

of  the  morning?  Was  it  by  appointment?  Why 
was  the  door  of  the  apartment  open  ?  Why  did  the 
nun  carefully  shut  the  great  "  portone  "  after  the 
priest  passed  out?  He  had  been  obliged  to  push 
back  the  lock  for  himself,  as  the  porter  was  not  yet 
up.  Mr.  Potter  walked  briskly  around  the  Pincian 
Garden  twice,  so  engrossed  in  his  thoughts  that  he 
scarcely  noticed  the  gradual  breaking  of  day,  the 
twittering  of  the  birds  in  the  branches  of  tall  trees, 
the  waving  of  the  palms  in  the  south  wind.  Sud- 
denly, he  stopped,  took  off  his  hat  to  rub  his  bald 
head  and  started  at  a  good  pace  back  to  the  place 
from  which  he  came. 

Dr.  Meredith  was  already  busy  in  his  study  when 
Mr.  Potter  entered,  and  held  out  his  hand  to  him  in 
cordial  greeting. 

"  I  trust  there  is  no  serious  news  about  your 
aunt,"  he  said. 

Mr.  Potter  was  greatly  agitated. 

"  I  do  not  know.  I  am  much  disturbed.  This 
is  what  has  occurred."  He  recounted  the  incident 
of  meeting  the  nun  and  priest  on  the  stairs. 

Dr.  Meredith  meditated.  "  It  is  not  unlikely  that 
the  nun  admitted  the  priest  to  your  aunt's  room.  Is 
she  conscious  ?  " 

"  Only  at  intervals.  The  cardinal  was  there  yes- 
terday. She  seemed  to  recognize  him." 

"  If  you  can  wait  ten  minutes  while  I  drink  a  cup 
of  coffee,  I  will  come  with  you." 

"  Drink  coffee  with  me,"  pleaded  Mr.  Potter, 
150 


THE    JESUIT 

whose  agitation  was  plainly  augmented  by  the 
other's  words. 

It  was  only  a  short  time  before  Dr.  Meredith 
reappeared.  Then  he  suggested  the  wisdom  of 
telephoning  to  the  physician,  asking  him  to  come  at 
once  to  Mrs.  Potter's  apartment. 

"  It  would  be  wise  also  to  have  another  witness 
who  speaks  both  Italian  and  English,"  he  said. 
"  Let  us  go  around  by  the  Evangelical  church  and 
take  Mr.  Pierce  with  us.  He  is  a  man  of  good 
judgment  and  tact." 

Soon  the  three  gentlemen  were  seated  at  the 
breakfast  table  in  Mrs.  Potter's  pleasant  dining 
room,  where  the  walls  were  decorated  with  rare  bits 
of  majolica,  plates,  cups,  and  vases,  collected  in 
various  parts  of  Italy  during  a  residence  of  forty 
years. 

"  It  may  be  that  I  was  mistaken,"  said  Mr.  Pot- 
ter. "  The  nurse  may  have  been  obliged  to  converse 
with  the  priest  for  some  reason  connected  with  her 
religious  duties." 

"  It  is  possible.  We  shall  try  to  get  at  the  truth, 
although  I  assure  you,  Mr.  Potter,  it  will  not  be 
easy.  The  doctor  can  do  more  than  we  can.  We 
will  explain  the  circumstances  to  him  and  let  him 
act  as  he  thinks  best." 

"  But  is  he  not  a  Roman  Catholic?  " 

"  By  birth  and  training,  yes.  His  wife  is  a 
Protestant  and  he  has  a  large  practice  in  the  En- 
glish-speaking colony.  I  do  not  think  that  he  is  at 


THE    JESUIT 

all  a  religious  man,  but  he  has  strong  convictions 
with  regard  to  obedience  on  the  part  of  his  nurses. 
If  it  is  true  that  the  nun  admitted  a  priest  to  Mrs. 
Potter's  room  this  morning,  he  will  be  exceedingly 
angry." 

"  The  doctor  is  here,"  announced  the  maid. 


15* 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  doctor  listened  quietly  to  Mr.  Potter's  state- 
ment. 

"  I  will  inquire  into  this,"  he  said  when  the  former 
had  finished.  "  These  nuns  are  usually  reliable.  At 
least,  I  have  found  them  so.  But  our  position  here 
in  Italy  is  a  peculiar  one.  In  the  first  place,  our 
views  and  opinions  are  different  from  those  which 
you  foreigners  hold.  In  many  things  we  believe 
that  the  end  justifies  the  means.  We  have  been 
trained  in  this  point  from  infancy;  the  family  con- 
fessor taught  it  to  us  when  we  learned  our  A  B  C's. 
As  a  nation,  gentlemen,  we  are  naturally  noble  and 
upright.  If  you  find  other  attributes  among  us — 
intrigue,  dishonesty,  untruthfulness — do  not  blame 
the  Italians.  Blame  the  Jesuits  whose  influence 
ever  has  been  felt  in  Rome  for  three  hundred  years." 

"  I  believe  you.  Doctor ! "  exclaimed  the  two 
clergymen  at  one  time. 

"  But  I  thought  the  Jesuits  had  been  expelled 
from  Rome  and  Italy,"  continued  the  bewildered 
Mr.  Potter. 

The  doctor  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "Others  have 
believed  the  same.  Where  does  the  general  of  the 
order,  the  Black  Pope,  live?  Here  in  Rome.  For 
the  present  his  headquarters  are  in  the  German  Col- 
lege, but  I  understand  that  the  order  will  soon  enter 

153 


THE    JESUIT 

its  own  building  once  more.  Who  rules  at  the 
Vatican?  Does  the  Pope?  Not  a  bit  of  it!  The 
Jesuits  are  behind  the  throne,  just  as  they  were  when 
the  astute  Leo  reigned.  I  am  neither  a  foreigner 
nor  a  Protestant,  gentlemen,  I  am  an  Italian,  and 
know  whereof  I  speak.  And  thousands  of  Italians 
know  the  same.  We  speak  plainly,  too,  and  without 
fear.  I  have  understood  that  the  strong  statements 
which  are  made  publicly  here  in  Rome  would  cause 
a  riot  in  England  or  America.  Talk  about  the  re- 
turn of  the  temporal  power  of  the  Popes!  It  can 
never  be.  The  Italians  will  never  permit  it.  We 
are  free  and  we  shall  remain  free." 

"  Amen,"  said  Mr.  Pierce. 

The  doctor  remained  silent  for  a  moment.  Mr. 
Potter  noticed  that  he  wiped  away  a  tear.  To  the 
loyal  Italian  the  welfare  of  his  country  is  near  to  his 
heart. 

"  Now  to  business,"  he  continued  briskly.  "  If 
there  is  any  clerical  meddling  here,  I'll  find  it  out. 
The  nuns  are  here  for  nothing  but  their  nursing 
duties." 

Fifteen  minutes  later  he  opened  the  door  again. 

"  It  is  my  duty  to  inform  you,  gentlemen,  that 
Mrs.  Potter  has  grown  decidedly  weaker.  It  is  only 
a  question  of  a  few  hours.  Whether  or  not  this  is 
due  to  some  special  excitement  I  do  not  know.  I 
shall  now  question  the  nurse.  Mrs.  Potter  has  lucid 
intervals.  Perhaps  Dr.  Meredith  would  like  to  con- 
verse with  her,  but  I  beg  that  you  will  await  my 

154 


THE    JESUIT 


return.  Would  you  be  so  good,  Mr.  Potter,  as  to 
take  a  seat  by  your  aunt's  bedside  ?  It  may  be  some 
comfort  to  her." 

Mr.  Potter  left  the  room  and  Dr.  Meredith  and 
Mr.  Pierce  conversed  together  in  those  subdued 
tones  which  one  involuntarily  employs  in  a  house 
where  death  is  near.  Half  an  hour  passed  and  the 
doctor,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Potter,  entered. 

"  Please  come  with  me,"  he  said,  and  they  all 
passed  into  Mrs.  Potter's  drawing  room.,  which  held 
so  many  memories  of  the  personality  of  one  who 
had  occupied  it  for  many  years,  that  it  almost 
seemed  as  if  she,  herself,  were  actuallly  present. 

The  nun  was  standing  in  the  center  of  the  room. 
She  did  not  look  up  when  the  gentlemen  came  in, 
but  they  noticed  that  her  face  beneath  the  white  veil 
was  flushed. 

"  She  has  told  the  truth  at  last,"  remarked  the 
doctor,  dryly,  "  after  considerable  evasion,  not  to 
call  it  by  a  harder  name.  This  is  the  night  nurse. 
The  day  nurse  has  just  come  in,  and  is  with  the 
patient.  Would  you  like  to  ask  her  any  questions, 
Dr.  Meredith?" 

But  to  further  questioning  the  nun  refused  abso- 
lutely to  reply.  She  respected  no  other  authority 
than  that  of  the  physician  and  was  suspicious  of  a 
Protestant  clergyman. 

"You  may  go,  Suora  (Sister),"  the  doctor  said, 
curtly,  and  the  nurse  left  the  room.  "  This  is  what 
has  happened,  as  well  as  I  can  ascertain  from  the 

155 


THE    JESUIT 

unsatisfactory  replies,"  he  continued.  "  She  told  me 
no  more  than  she  could  help.  It  is  true  that  she 
opened  the  door  to  the  priest  about  five  o'clock  this 
morning.  When  the  cardinal  was  here  yesterday 
and  found  Mrs.  Potter  so  much  worse  he  gave  orders 
to  that  effect.  The  nun  implied  that  Mrs.  Potter 
had  long  since  become  a  Roman  Catholic.  It  may 
be  true,  or  it  may  not." 

"  Nice  women,  these  nuns,  if  you  cannot  rely  on 
their  word,"  growled  Mr.  Potter. 

The  doctor  seemed  surprised.  "  There  are  many 
good  women  in  the  convents,  but  it  was  probably 
in  the  interests  of  her  Church  that  she  should  give 
us  to  understand  that  your  aunt  had  changed  her 
faith.  It  offered  some  excuse  for  the  incident  of 
this  morning." 

"  I  don't  see  how  there  could  be  any  excuse," 
blurted  out  Mr.  Potter.  "  So  it's  right  to  lie  in  the 
interests  of  the  Church,  is  it,  and  wrong  at  other 
times  ?  It's  a  queer  doctrine  and  one  which  a  hard- 
headed  Scotchman,  like  myself,  finds  hard  to  under- 
stand. Yea  is  yea,  and  nay  is  nay,  with  us.  But  go 
on,  Doctor,"  he  continued,  brusquely,  fully  aware 
of  the  uselessness  of  prolonging  a  discussion  when 
the  points  of  view  were  so  diametrically  opposed. 

"  That's  all.  The  priest  of  this  parish  came ; 
that  is  evident,  but  for  what  reason  I  do  not 
know." 

"  He  did !  How  dared  he,  without  my  permis- 
sion? "  Mr.  Potter  began  pacing  the  floor;  he  was 

156 


THE    JESUIT 

evidently  mentally  uneasy  as  well  as  decidedly  dis- 
pleased. 

A  faint  smile  crossed  the  doctor's  face.  A  Scotch- 
man and  a  priest!  They  were  as  far  apart  as  the 
poles,  and  in  a  conflict  the  priest  would  come  out  a 
victor  every  time. 

"  I  do  not  believe  a  word  of  this  nonsense  about 
my  aunt.  It  is  true  that  her  mother  was  a  Roman 
Catholic  before  her  marriage,  and  my  aunt  was  bap- 
tized in  that  faith.  Later  her  mother  changed  her 
views  and  the  whole  family  attended  the  Prot- 
estant Church." 

"I  was  not  aware  of  that  fact,"  remarked  Dr. 
Meredith,  whose  face  was  very  grave,  even  severe. 
"  Mrs.  Potter  has  been  a  regular  attendant  at  my 
church  since  she  has  lived  in  Rome." 

The  doctor  smiled  again.  Naturally,  he  must 
further  his  patients'  interests;  but  the  fact  of 
whether  Mrs.  Potter  was  Catholic  or  Protestant 
seemed  to  him  of  little  consequence.  He  was  a 
free-thinker — what  difference  could  her  religious 
views  make? 

"  It  is  very  possible  that  Mrs.  Potter  may  have 
again  adopted  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  and  yet 
remained  outwardly  a  Protestant  in  order  to  serve 
some  end,"  he  suggested. 

"  It  is  not  possible !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Potter.  "  It's 
a  matter  of  conscience,  man!  My  aunt  could  not 
have  done  such  a  thing.  Do  you  think  she  could  ?  " 

His  manner  of  appeal  to  Dr.  Meredith  verged  on 

157 


THE    JESUIT 

the  pathetic.  The  sturdy  Scotchman  felt  his  weak- 
ness. His  honest,  bronzed  face  was  pale  with 
emotion. 

"  I  have  heard  it  stated  that  there  are  priests  in 
the  Church  of  England  who  are  Jesuits  and  have  a 
special  dispensation  in  order  that  they  may  deceive 
others  who  trusted  them.  I  could  not  believe  it 
possible  that  there  could  be  such  duplicity  veiled  by 
religion.  There  have  been  holy  men  and  women  in 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church;  there  were  Faber  and 
Newman  and  Manning.  How  could  they  have  sanc- 
tioned such  dealings?  It  cannot  be  true!  " 

The  doctor  turned  to  the  window  and  appeared 
to  be  intensely  interested  in  a  disagreement  between 
two  market  women,  far  below  in  the  street,  who  had 
placed  their  carts  side  by  side. 

"  Faber  and  Newman  and  Manning  were  sincere, 
good  men,"  said  Dr.  Meredith.  "  And  there  are 
thousands  of  others  among  the  clergy  and  the  laity. 
There  are,  also,  thousands  of  priests  who  long  to 
leave  the  Church,  because  they  feel  that  she  has  lost 
the  simplicity  and  purity  of  religion,  such  as  the 
fathers  taught  and  exemplified  in  their  lives.  I  have 
known  your  aunt  for  years,  and  it  does  not  seem 
possible  that  she  has  hidden  her  real  thoughts 
and  feelings  from  me.  If  it  is  so,  it  cannot  have 
been  for  any  length  of  time — perhaps  only  since  last 
summer.  Do  you  consider  Mrs.  Potter  to  be  in  her 
right  mind,  Doctor  ?  " 

The  physician  turned  sharply  from  the  window. 
158 


THE     JESUIT 


The  women  who,  five  minutes  before,  had  been 
ready  to  annihilate  each  other  in  their  rage  were 
now  laughing  as  they  pushed  their  carts,  laden  with 
bright-colored  vegetables,  down  the  street.  They 
were  amicably  conversing  as  if  nothing  had  hap- 
pened. 

"  Mrs.  Potter  has  lain  in  an  unconscious  condi- 
tion, often  for  hours  together ;  but  when  she  comes 
to  herself  I  consider  her  to  be  perfectly  sane  and 
rational.  She  was  conscious  when  I  left  her." 

"  May  we  go  in  and  talk  with  her  ?  " 

"  Certainly." 

"  Come,  also,  if  you  please,  Mr.  Pierce,"  Dr. 
Meredith  said.  "  I  may  want  you  as  a  witness,  as 
well  as  Mr.  Potter." 

They  entered  the  room  and  Dr.  Meredith  ap- 
proached the  bed.  "  Are  you  feeling  better,  my 
dear  old  friend  ? "  he  asked,  bending  over  the 
patient. 

"  Dr.  Meredith,"  whispered  Mrs.  Potter. 

"  Yes,  it  is  I.  I  do  not  wish  to  fatigue  you,  Mrs. 
Potter,  but,  if  you  are  able,  I  should  be  glad  to  have 
you  answer  a  few  questions.  You  understand  what 
I  say?" 

"  Yes." 

Dr.  Meredith  sat  down.  "  Will  you  kindly  write 
down  my  questions,  Mr.  Pierce,  with  Mrs.  Potter's 
answers  ?  "  Again  he  addressed  the  sick  woman : 
"  Dear  friend,  for  many  years  we  have  known  each 
other  and  have  worked  together  for  the  cause  of 

159 


THE    JESUIT 

Christ  here  in  Rome.     Have  you  ever  doubted  the 
saving  grace  of  his  atonement  ?  " 

"  Never,"  she  whispered. 

"  You  believe  that  on  Girist,  and  on  Christ  alone, 
depends  your  salvation  ?  " 

"  I  do." 

"  If  God  should  call  you  home  to  his  glorious 
presence  this  very  day,  would  you  die  in  the  faith 
of  your  fathers,  a  Protestant  of  the  Protestants  ?  " 

Up  to  this  time,  Mrs.  Potter  had  kept  her  eyes 
closed,  through  weariness  or  weakness.  Her 
nephew  stood  at  the  side  of  her  bed,  looking  down 
anxiously  at  her.  Mr.  Pierce  raised  his  eyes  from 
his  paper,  and  exchanged  a  glance  with  Dr. 
Meredith. 

Mrs.  Potter  opened  her  eyes.  There  was  a 
startled  expression  in  them.  Her  voice  was  as 
strong  as  in  health  when  she  replied :  "  I  die  in  the 
Protestant  faith,  trusting  in  Christ  and  in  him  alone 
for  salvation." 

Once  more  her  eyes  closed  and  she  lay  motionless. 

"  Please  place  your  signature  here,  Mr.  Potter, 
and  then  kindly  call  the  doctor.  And,  Mr.  Pierce, 
please  sign  below.  We  have  this  document  in  case 
of  any  trouble,"  he  added  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Do  you  anticipate  any  trouble  ?  "  inquired  Mr. 
Pierce  in  a  whisper. 

"  One  can  never  tell.  Complications  sometimes 
arise  in  cases  similar  to  this." 

The  two  ministers  left  the  home  together. 
160 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Do  you  believe  that  the  priest  administered  ex- 
treme unction  this  morning?  " 

"  It  is  very  probable." 

"And  in  that  case?"  persisted  Mr.  Pierce. 

"  In  that  case  they  would  no  doubt  regard  Mrs. 
Potter  as  a  Roman  Catholic  and  would  claim  her 
body,  to  bury  it  in  consecrated  ground." 

"  Will  that  be  likely  to  happen  ?  " 

Dr.  Meredith  faced  Mr.  Pierce  and  looked  him 
straight  in  the  eye.  There  was  decision  and  sturdy 
righteousness  in  his  expression.  "  It  may  be  at- 
tempted, Mr.  Pierce,  but  it  will  not  succeed.  I  hold 
here  the  statement  of  Mrs.  Potter  herself  that  she 
dies  in  the  Protestant  faith.  It  is  signed  by  you 
and  Mr.  Potter.  I  will  protest  to  the  last,  if  any 
effort  is  made,  even  by  Cardinal  Massimini,  to  claim 
her  as  a  Roman  Catholic." 

There  was  unusual  fire  in  the  clergyman's  face, 
and  Mr.  Pierce  held  out  his  hand  to  him. 

"  If  you  need  any  help,  Dr.  Meredith,  call  on 
me." 

"  Indeed  I  will,  my  dear  brother,"  Dr.  Brown  re- 
plied, with  a  hearty  grip  of  the  extended  hand. 

"  Dear  Janet,  come  down  and  see  the  little  girl 
whom  you  helped  to  escape  from  the  convent,"  wrote 
Alda  Pierce.  "  I  am  keeping  her  for  awhile  till 
we  can  tell  what  to  do  with  her.  She's  as  different 
as  can  be  from  the  ordinary  nun.  But  I'm  glad  she's 
not  condemned  to  such  a  life.  Her  name  is  Romilda, 

161 


THE    JESUIT 

and  she  is  very  grateful  to  you,  and  so  is  her  brother. 
Now,  if  she  will  only  give  her  heart  to  Christ  and 
become  his  follower!  As  might  be  expected,  she  is 
full  of  all  kinds  of  superstitious  fancies  and  curious 
notions.  But  what  else  can  one  expect  from  a  girl 
who  has  spent  her  whole  life  with  an  ignorant, 
bigoted  mother  and  with  the  nuns  ?  We  must  show 
her  what  a  beautiful  thing  our  religion  is.  In  the 
meantime  she  is  playing  with  Alda,  and  it  is  difficult 
to  tell  which  is  the  baby,  she  is  so  much  of  a  child 
herself  and  so  inexperienced  in  every  way.  I  shall 
expect  you  at  four." 

"  Different  from  a  nun !  "  thought  Janet,  at  the 
first  sight  of  Romilda.  "  I  should  think  so!  " 

Romilda  was  a  round-faced,  rosy-cheeked  maiden 
of  sixteen,  with  the  eyes  and  hair  of  the  women  of 
Veneto,  a  vivacious  expression,  plump  figure,  and  a 
voice  like  a  bird.  To  imagine  the  hair  with  glints 
of  gold  hidden  beneath  a  nun's  coif,  the  blue  eyes 
demure  and  lowered,  the  hands,  now  busy  picking 
up  baby's  playthings,  folded  in  prayer  in  the  dark 
watches  of  the  night,  and  the  full  round  figure 
draped  in  black  garments,  was  so  difficult  that  Janet 
gave  up  trying. 

"  This  is  the  lady  who  gave  thy  brother  money 
so  that  he  could  come  and  get  thee,  Romilda,"  ex- 
plained Mrs.  Pierce. 

To  Janet's  embarrassment,  the  Italian  girl  fell  on 
her  knees  in  front  of  her,  clasped  her  hands  in  the 
plump  brown  ones  and  kissed  them  fervently,  pour- 

162 


THE    JESUIT 

ing  out  a  stream  of  liquid,  musical  language,  as 
pretty  as  it  was  unintelligible. 

"  Do  tell  me  what  she  says,"  pleaded  Janet,  "  and 
beg  her  to  get  up.  It  is  all  right  about  the  money.  I 
so  much  prefer  that  she  should  not  thank  me — espe- 
cially not  in  this  energetic  manner." 

"  Run  away  and  play  with  Alda,"  said  Mrs. 
Pierce,  finding  it  difficult  to  retain  a  proper  com- 
posure at  sight  of  Janet's  flushed  face.  When 
Romilda  had  left  the  room  she  laughed  outright. 
"  Poor  girl !  she  was  merely  expressing  her  gratitude 
in  her  charming,  warm-hearted  way.  I  could  not 
possibly  translate  it.  Really,  it  is  much  more  pitiful 
than  ridiculous.  She  says  you  look  like  the  picture 
of  the  Madonna  in  the  little  church  at  her  home,  and 
she  probably  could  not  give  you  a  greater  compli- 
ment, as  she  is  ignorant  of  any  other  type  of  beauty. 
She  is  as  happy  as  a  child  here.  The  stories  she  tells 
of  her  agonies  when  she  thought  she  would  be  shut 
in  for  life  are  heartrending." 

"  I  want  so  much  to  know  how  she  escaped,  and 
what  plans  you  have  for  her  future.  I  haven't  dared 
tell  Fay  or  mamma  about  it,  for  fear  they  would  not 
like  it.  They  have  grown  so  intimate  with  Lady 
Eger,  and  they  are  so  busy  visiting  the  different 
churches.  You  know  the  celebration  of  the  Festa 
of  the  Immaculate  Virgin  has  begun,  and  they  want 
to  see  all  they  can  of  it." 

"  Why  don't  you  go,  too,  Miss  Lapeer  ?  "  asked 
Mr.  Pierce,  who  had  entered  quietly.  "  Please  give 

163 


THE    JESUIT 

me  a  cup  of  tea,  Alda,  I  must   go  out  again   at 
once." 

"  I  really  do  not  care  to  go.  It  sounds  dreadful, 
perhaps,  to  express  it  so  crudely,  but  the  services 
seem  to  me  to  be  theatrical  displays,  prepared  for 
the  public." 

"  And  for  the  foreign  public,"  added  Mr.  Pierce. 
"  I  am  very  sorry  to  have  interrupted  your  conver- 
sation." 

"  I  was  only  going  to  say,  Alda,  that  I  am  wor- 
ried about  Fay.  She  does  not  look  well ;  she  is  pale 
and  growing  thin,  and  is  not  a  bit  like  her  gay  old 
self.  Something  is  troubling  her;  I  am  sure  of  it. 
She  is  very  much  under  Lady  Eger's  influence,  and 
I  fear  that  this  extends  to  religious  matters  as  well. 
And  there  is  the  marquis — " 

"  What  about  him  ?  "  interrupted  Mrs.  Pierce. 

Before  Janet  could  answer,  Dr.  Meredith's  deep 
voice  said  at  the  door :  "  May  I  have  a  cup  of  tea, 
too,  Mrs.  Pierce  ?  " 

"  By  all  means.  Sit  down  in  this  easy  chair,  Dr. 
Meredith,  you  look  so  tired.  My  friend,  Miss 
Lapeer,  Dr.  Meredith." 

Mr.  Pierce  moved  a  chair  forward  and  the  good 
clergyman  dropped  into  it  as  though  he  were  very 
weary. 

"  It's  all  arranged,"  he  remarked  in  a  low  tone 
to  Mr.  Pierce.  "  The  funeral  will  be  on  Thursday, 
at  four,  at  the  Protestant  cemetery." 

"  Thus  far,  no  interference?  " 
164 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Not  since  this  morning.  You  were  acquainted 
with  Mrs.  Potter,  were  you  not,  Miss  Lapeer?  I 
heard  her  speak  of  you." 

"  Yes.  I  was  grieved  to  hear  the  sad  news  of 
her  death." 

"  It  occurred  at  five  o'clock  yesterday  morning. 
The  nun  who  acted  as  nurse  insisted  that  she  died  a 
Roman  Catholic." 

"  A  Catholic !  "  exclaimed  Janet. 

"  I'll  explain  afterward/'  said  Mrs.  Pierce. 

"  But  I  assured  her  that  she  did  not.  Mr.  Pierce 
and  I  went  to  the  English  cemetery  and  saw  the 
director,  who  promised  to  send  men  and  have  the 
body  removed  at  three  o'clock  this  morning.  The 
nuns  remained  in  the  room  and  placed  lighted 
candles  around  Mrs.  Potter's  bed  and  a  crucifix  in 
her  hands,  which  her  nephew  promptly  removed, 
notwithstanding  their  protests.  They  had  no 
idea  that  funeral  arrangements  would  be  made  so 
quickly.  As  you  know,  Mr.  Pierce,  Mr.  Potter 
and  I  guarded  the  great  door  of  the  house  until 
the  director  and  his  men  appeared.  There  was  no 
disturbance." 

"  How  very  strange,"  murmured  Janet.  "  I 
thought  she  was  a  Protestant." 

"  She  was." 

"  And  yet—" 

"  And  yet,  my  dear  young  lady,  Rome  is  Rome, 
and  can  never  be  anything  else  but  a  city  of  mys- 
tery— a  veiled  city,  it  has  been  called." 

165 


THE    JESUIT 

"  But  was  she  a  Catholic?  "  persisted  Janet. 

"  Certainly  not  when  she  died,  as  Mr.  Pierce  can 
attest.  And  the  physician  said  that  her  mind  was 
perfectly  clear.  I  received  a  note  from  Cardinal 
Massimini  this  morning.  He  criticises  me  sharply 
for  my  interference  in  a  case  of  a  daughter  of  the 
'true  Church,'  and  says  that  although  Mrs.  Potter 
may  be  buried  in  unconsecrated  ground,  she  died  in 
the  Roman  Catholic  faith." 

"  It's  a  singular  case,"  said  Mr.  Pierce.  "  I  am 
ready  whenever  you  are,  Doctor." 

"  Let  us  go  then;  Mr.  Potter  will  be  waiting." 

"  Now,  tell  me  what  he  meant,"  demanded 
Janet. 

Mrs.  Pierce  told  her  of  the  early  morning  visit, 
of  the  priest  and  the  nuns,  and  their  duplicity. 
Janet's  face  grew  paler  and  paler.  At  last,  a  low 
cry  burst  from  her  lips. 

"  What  is  it,  dear?    Are  you  ill ?  " 

"  No,  Alda,  but  I'm  frightened,  frightened  for 
Fay.  I  am  sure  that  something  dreadful  is  going  to 
happen,  Alda.  I  am  sure  of  it !  What  it  will  be,  I 
do  not  know.  I  know  that  she  likes  the  marquis, 
and  as  little  as  I  want  her  to  marry  him,  I  should 
prefer  to  have  her  his  wife  than  to  have  her 
yield  to  the  persuasions  of  Padre  Veroni  and 
Lady  Eger.  I  do  not  know  what  they  are  urging 
her  to  do,  but  some  conflict  is  taking  place  in  her 
mind.  She  tells  me  nothing,  nor  does  she  confide 
in  mamma." 

166 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Is  she  engaged  to  the  marquis  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  think  so.  I  feel  as  if  we  were  entering 
dark  shadows,  Alda." 

"  You  are  nervous,  dear.  There  may  be  shadows 
ahead  of  us,  but  the  Light  is  with  us,  and  he  that 
walketh  in  the  Light  need  fear  no  darkness.  Have 
you  forgotten  about  Romilda,  Janet?  The  history 
of  her  escape  is  really  marvelous,"  said  Mrs.  Pierce, 
anxious  to  divert  Janet  from  her  disturbing  thoughts 
and  consequent  depression. 

"  I  had  forgotten." 

"  Her  brother  waited  several  days  in  the  little 
town  before  he  could  see  her.  The  old  servant  was 
faithful  to  her  trust,  and  managed  to  carry  the  let- 
ters back  and  forth.  The  convent  is  beautifully 
situated  on  the  top  of  a  high  hill.  When  the  pupils 
are  taken  for  a  walk  they  come  down  the  hill  in 
pairs,  accompanied  by  two  lay  sisters,  one  in  front, 
and  one  behind.  Romilda's  brother  nearly  despaired 
of  freeing  her  when  he  saw  how  closely  the  girls 
were  watched  and  guarded.  But  on  the  fourth  day 
fortune  favored  him.  The  girls  came  out  later  than 
usual,  and  before  they  were  ready  to  return  to  the 
convent  it  grew  quite  dark.  At  one  point  in  the 
road  leading  up  the  hill,  there  is  a  short  tunnel  dug 
through  the  rock.  As  they  passed  through  it  a  car- 
riage drove  by,  and  under  cover  of  the  noise  and 
obscurity  Romilda  slipped  away  and  ran  swiftly 
back  to  the  place  where  her  brother  and  the  maid 
had  agreed  to  wait  each  day.  In  a  very  short  time 

167 


THE    JESUIT 

they  reached  the  station,  where,  fortunately,  they 
were  able  to  take  a  train  before  the  nuns  had  time 
to  warn  the  Mother  Superior  and  a  search  could  be 
begun.  He  brought  her  to  Pisa,  and  thence  they 
came  on  to  Rome,  arriving  this  morning." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  her,  Alda  ?  " 

"  Make  a  good  woman  of  her,  if  God  wills.  My 
husband  will  communicate  with  her  mother,  so  that 
she  may  be  assured  of  her  safety.  I  do  not  think  she 
will  insist  upon  claiming  her.  I  believe  that  the  law 
will  not  allow  her  mother  to  force  her  into  the  con- 
vent against  her  wish." 

Janet  arose. 

"  Let  me  help  her,"  she  said,  earnestly ;  "  I  have 
plenty  of  money  and  nobody  on  whom  to  spend 
it.  I  shall  be  glad  to  do  something  for  her.  But 
please  do  not  let  her  express  her  deep  sense  of 
obligation  again  in  that  energetic  way.  It  is 
embarrassing." 

Mrs.  Pierce  laughed,  relieved  to  see  that  Janet's 
expression  was  less  tense  and  anxious. 

"  It  is  good  of  you,  dear,  but  it  will  be  better  for 
her  to  earn  her  own  living.  I  suppose  you  have  no 
need  of  a  little  maid,"  she  suggested,  tentatively. 
"  It  would  give  you  an  opportunity  to  help  Romilda 
and  form  her  character." 

"  A  maid !  My  dear  girl,  I  am  afraid  there  would 
be  little  enough  for  her  to  do.  And  yet — with  three 
women,  we  might  keep  her  occupied.  I  will  think 
of  it  and  speak  to  mamma.  I  should  not  dare  to  tell 

1 68 


THE    JESUIT 

her  Romilda's  history,  for  there  is  Padre  Veroni  to 
be  thought  of." 

"  And  if  he  heard  of  it,  no  doubt  poor  Romilda 
would  find  herself  back  in  the  convent  very  quickly." 

Janet  kissed  Mrs.  Pierce  warmly  and  hurried 
away,  for  it  was  now  quite  dark.  The  problems  of 
life  and  her  own  special  group  of  problems  puzzled 
her.  They  haunted  her  in  the  night,  so  that  she 
could  not  sleep  and  became  so  restless  that  she  left  her 
bed  and  stood  at  the  window,  looking  out  on  the 
towers  and  domes  of  Rome,  glorified  and  etherialized 
in  the  soft  moonlight.  For  centuries  Rome  had  been 
seething  with  intrigue  and  mystery.  Even  today, 
life  was  far  different  from  that  in  other  cities; 
it  was  more  intangible,  more  elusive,  more  be- 
wildering. And  Fay — what  of  Fay?  Dear  sister! 
Once  she  had  spoken  to  her  mother  of  her  anxiety, 
only  to  be  answered  in  a  brusque  manner  totally 
different  from  Mrs.  Lapeer's  customary  gentleness. 
Fay  was  all  right,  she  said,  and  if  Janet  took  half 
the  interest  that  Fay  did  in  the  wonderful  churches 
and  relics,  she  would  be  wiser  than  she  was  now! 
After  that  rebuff  Janet  had  kept  her  troubles  hidden 
in  her  own  soul. 

There  was  only  one  person  who  seemed  to  divine 
them,  and  that  was  hearty,  bluff  Sir  John.  They 
stood  together,  on  the  following  Thursday,  at  the 
grave  of  Mrs.  Potter,  after  the  last  solemn  words 
had  been  spoken  and  the  last  prayer  uttered,  Janet 
laid  a  cluster  of  white  roses  on  the  fresh,  moist  earth. 

169 


THE    JESUIT 

The  cemetery  was  very  quiet,  very  beautiful.  In 
the  tall,  dark  cypress  trees,  birds  were  singing  as 
blithely  as  if  there  were  no  sorrow  or  weeping  in  the 
world.  Flowers  were  blooming  everywhere,  even 
though  it  was  December,  and  on  the  old  Aurelian 
Wall  ivy  hung  in  long,  graceful  festoons.  Over 
the  wall  rose  the  ancient  Pyramid  of  Cestius,  past 
which  Saint  Paul  probably  walked  as  he  was  led 
forth  to  execution.  The  sun  was  setting,  and  the 
cross  on  the  summit  of  Mount  Testaccio  spread  its 
arms  against  the  crimson  glow. 

"  You  have  heard  that  strange  story  about  Mrs. 
Potter's  conversion  to  Roman  Catholicism,  Sir 
John  ?  "  Janet  asked. 

"  Yes,  Dr.  Meredith  told  me." 

Sir  John  watched  her  with  a  peculiar  expression 
in  which  there  was  some  sadness  and  a  touch  of 
anxiety. 

"  Do  you  believe  it?  "  she  continued. 

"  Rome  is  a  strange  place,"  he  replied,  "  and 
strange  things  happen  here.  There  is  a  witchery 
about  her  which  turns  men's  brains.  She  has  been 
appropriately  pictured  as  a  lovely  woman  sitting  on 
a  throne  in  the  midst  of  the  Seven  Hills,  fascinating 
the  world  and  drawing  men  to  worship  before  her. 
About  Mrs.  Potter,  Miss  Lapeer,  I  do  not  know 
whether  I  believe  it  or  not.  It  may  be  true.  Mrs. 
Potter  had  lived  so  long  in  Italy  and  was  very 
intimate  with  Cardinal  Massimini's  sister;  spent 
months  with  her,  in  fact,  every  year." 

170 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Yet  she  died  in  the  Protestant  faith." 

"  That  might  easily  be.  When  she  was  face  to 
face  with  death  and  eternity  she  may  have  returned 
to  the  religion  of  former  days.  Would  that  it 
might  be  so  with  Hortense !  "  he  added  softly. 

Janet  was  startled  to  see  that  his  eyes  were  full 
of  tears.  There,  by  Mrs.  Potter's  grave,  she 
stretched  out  her  hand  to  him.  Seemingly  with- 
out design  he  led  her  away,  and  hand  in  hand 
they  passed  on  to  the  gate  of  the  cemetery.  Sir 
John  was  so  deep  in  thought  that  he  did  not 
notice  what  he  was  doing  until  Janet  gently  moved 
away. 

"  I  beg  pardon,"  he  murmured,  flushing  deeply. 

They  emerged  from  the  gate,  acknowledging  the 
pleasant  words  of  farewell  from  the  woman  who 
opened  it  and  who  smiled  as  she  pocketed  the 
"  soldi  "  given  her  by  Sir  John. 

The  cross  on  Mount  Testaccio  was  bare  and  black 
now  that  the  crimson  glow  had  faded  from  the  sky. 
The  children  playing  in  the  street  begged  for  pennies 
as  Janet  and  Sir  John  went  by.  The  bells  of  the 
tram  on  its  way  to  the  Church  of  Saint  Paul's  with- 
out the  walls,  tinkled  gaily. 

"  Mrs.  Potter's  will  was  read  this  morning,"  Sir 
John  said  at  last,  when  the  silence  began  to  grow 
painful.  "  Had  you  heard  about  it  ?  " 

"  No." 

He  waited  a  moment.  Then  he  spoke :  "  She  left 
some  legacies  to  her  family.  Two  thirds  of  her  for- 

171 


THE    JESUIT 

tune  she  left  to  Cardinal  Massimini,  '  to  be  used  as 
he  thought  best.'  " 

"  Then  it  was  true !  "  exclaimed  Janet,  shocked  at 
this  news. 

"  God  only  knows,  Miss  Lapeer.  He  alone  under- 
stands the  intricate  workings  of  a  human  mind," 
he  replied. 


172 


CHAPTER  XV 

"  PADRE  VERONI,  this  is  indeed  an  honor !  " 

The  Marquis  di  Cassini  came  forward  with  out- 
stretched hand  to  meet  the  priest  on  a  morning  early 
in  December. 

The  air  was  crisp  and  invigorating.  It  came  from 
the  north,  where,  on  the  mountains  defining  the 
horizon,  the  first  snows  of  the  season  lay,  white 
summits  merging  into  the  white  clouds  above 
them. 

"  I  beg  you  to  sit  down,  Reverenza.  It  was  so 
cool  this  morning  that  I  thought  a  wood  fire  would 
be  acceptable." 

"  Fortunate  man !  "  said  Padre  Veroni,  seating 
himself  in  an  easy  chair.  "  No,  I  will  not  go  too 
near  the  fire,  thank  you.  It  is  very  pleasant,  but  I 
prefer  to  look  at  it  from  a  distance.  We  poor 
priests,  who  cannot  afford  such  luxuries,  would  bet- 
ter not  become  accustomed  to  them." 

The  priest  cast  a  comprehensive  glance  around 
the  marquis's  library. 

"This  was  your  father's  study?" 

"  Yes,  Reverenza." 

"  I  always  considered  it  a  handsome  room,  but 
you  have  improved  it  by  introducing  some  modern 
conveniences.  Your  father  would  have  scorned  the 
mere  idea  of  such  a  fire.  How  well  I  remember 


THE    JESUIT 

him!     He  was  a  taller  man  than  you,  Guido,  and 
made  of  sterner  stuff." 

Even  as  he  spoke  the  priest  wondered  whether  his 
own  words  were  true.  Had  the  old  marquis  been 
firmer  or  more  positive  in  his  opinions  than  his  son  ? 
From  behind  partially  closed  lids  he  examined  the 
face  before  him;  noted  the  firm  mouth,  the  square 
jaw,  the  broad  expanse  of  forehead,  beneath  which 
shone  frank,  fearless  eyes.  He  began  to  doubt  the 
success  of  his  mission  on  that  cold  December  morn- 
ing. But  Padre  Veroni  was  not  a  man  to  allow  his 
ammunition  to  lie  idle.  He  fired  his  first  shot. 

"  Your  father  would  never  have  betrayed  the 
Church  into  which  he  was  born,"  he  said,  quietly. 

The  marquis  gave  a  nervous  start,  bit  his  lips,  and 
waited  for  the  next  remark. 

"  The  bill  concerning  Saint  Joseph's  College  at 

V will  come  before  the  house  soon.    Which 

way  do  you  intend  to  vote  ?  " 

No  answer.  The  priest's  face  grew  hard  and 
cold.  His  lips  contracted,  as  if  with  a  spasm  of 
pain.  Padre  Veroni  was  not  accustomed  to  opposi- 
tion, and  he  intended  to  win.  There  was  not  a 
quiver  of  excitement  in  his  tone  as  he  spoke. 

"  I  am  particularly  interested  in  this  question, 

Guido.     V is  a  strategic  point.     I  want  you 

to  throw  your  influence  on  our  side.     The  bill  must 
pass  and  you  must  help." 

"  The  government  maintains  schools  at  V " 

responded  the  marquis,  doggedly. 

174 


THE    JESUIT 

He  had  taken  a  seat  where  his  back  was  toward 
the  window.  The  light  fell  on  the  priest's  face,  upon 
the  long,  straight  nose,  thin  lips  and  pointed  chin; 
upon  the  skin  with  tint  of  ivory,  such  as  a  man  has 
who  spends  his  life  within  doors  in  company  with 
dusty  tomes,  dating  back  to  past  centuries.  His 
slender  hands  were  partially  hidden  in  the  folds  of 
his  black  gown. 

"  Yes,  the  government  has  its  schools,  but  we 
want  ours.  What  do  the  children  learn  in  those 
schools  ?  Disloyalty  to  the  Church,  into  whose  lov- 
ing care  they  were  committed  when  the  priest  bap- 
tized them.  They  learn  to  bow  before  the  king  of 
Italy  and  lift  their  hats  when  the  tricolored  flag  is 
carried  by.  They  learn  to  hate  religion — " 

"  As  it  is  exemplified  by  the  priests,"  interrupted 
the  marquis,  coldly,  as  his  black  eyes  glowed  with 
sudden  wrath. 

Padre  Veroni  did  not  move  a  muscle  of  his  face. 
It  remained  as  impassive  as  a  piece  of  marble. 

'  To  hate  religion,"  he  continued,  "  and  mock  at 
our  holy  symbols.  They  become  atheists,  or  what  I 
may  call  worse — heretics.  These  are  the  reasons 
why  we  must  have  our  own  schools,  and  you  must 
help  us,  Guido." 

"I  must!" 

"  Yes." 

"  And  if  I  prefer  to  retain  my  manhood,  my  right 
to  think  with  the  mind  which  I  possess — the  gift  of 
God — I  am  no  atheist,  Padre  Veroni.  And  if  I 

175 


THE    JESUIT 

should  dare  defy  the  authority  of  the  Church,  what 
then?" 

The  marquis  was  not  a  very  tall  man,  but  as  he 
arose  he  was  stately  in  his  dignity. 

The  priest  did  not  change  his  position  except  to 
touch  the  fingertips  of  his  right  hand  to  those  of 
his  left.  "  Then  the  Church  will  deal  with  the  son 
who  defies  her  authority  as  she  sees  fit,  Guido,"  he 
said,  suddenly  rising  and  placing  his  arm  around  the 
young  man's  shoulders.  "  Guido,"  he  continued,  "  I 
held  thee  in  my  arms  when  thou  wast  a  child.  I 
loved  thy  father  as  well  as  if  he  had  been  my  own 
brother.  Thy  mother  is  a  faithful  daughter  of  the 
Church.  Floria  will  soon — " 

The  marquis  threw  off  the  priest's  arm  impa- 
tiently and  muttered  a  curse.  "  I  cannot  bear  it ! 
Do  not  speak  of  Floria!  If  you  must  know  the 
truth,  it  is  that  which  has  driven  me  away  from  the 
Church.  What  right  has  a  mother  to  make  a  vow 
which  will  ruin  the  life  of  her  child,  which  con- 
demns her  to  absolute  slavery  in  the  loveliest  years 
of  her  youth  ?  What  sort  of  a  Church  is  it  that  ac- 
cepts such  a  sacrifice,  though  the  victim  as  the  so- 
called  bride  of  Christ  brings  a  princely  dowry  ?  If 
Floria  felt  it  her  duty  to  become  a  nun — " 

Padre  Veroni's  deep-set  eyes  glistened.  "  You 
would  consider  that  a  different  case,  more  justi- 
fiable ?  "  he  broke  in. 

"  By  all  means.  Then  she  would  immure  herself 
voluntarily." 

176 


THE    JESUIT 

Entirely  unconscious  of  the  fact  that  he  had 
uttered  words  which  would  come  back  to  him  at 
some  future  day  of  anguish,  the  marquis  wondered 
at  the  sudden  vivacity  of  the  priest's  manner. 

"  So  you  refuse  to  oblige  me  in  this  matter, 
Guido?" 

"  I  am  sorry  to  refuse,  Reverenza,  indeed  I  am. 
For  old  acquaintance  sake,  and  for  love  of  my 
mother,  I  would  gladly  do  as  you  desire,  but  my  own 
conscience  prevents  me.  You  have  your  reasons  for 
wanting  this  bill  to  pass.  We,  on  our  part,  are  in- 
fluenced by  reasons  which  we  consider  fully  as 
strong." 

"  Consciences  are  peculiar  things,  aren't  they, 
Guido?  Sometimes  they  seem  to  point  us  in  the 
direction  which  we  wish  to  take.  And  yours  is  only 
the  conscience  of  an  inexperienced  boy." 

Guido  winced  and  Padre  Veroni  smiled.  There 
was  something  repulsive  in  that  smile,  though  he 
appeared  to  have  entirely  regained  his  good  humor. 

"  Your  conscience  may  lead  you  in  the  opposite 
direction  by  the  time  the  bill  is  presented  to  the 
House." 

"  I  don't  think  so." 

"  Well,  I  hope  so,  anyway,  for  it  is  a  serious  mat- 
ter to  oppose  the  Church." 

Guido  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  I  understand  that  you  desire  to  marry  the 
American  girl  at  the  Pension  Speranza,"  was  Padre 
Veroni's  startling  and  unexpected  remark. 

177 


THE    JESUIT 

The  marquis  drew  himself  up  proudly.  "  I  really 
do  not  see — "  he  began,  when  the  priest  interrupted 
him. 

"  You  do  not  see  how  I  know  of  it,  or  what  affair 
it  is  of  mine." 

"  Precisely." 

"  My  dear  boy,  it  is  very  much  my  affair ;  more 
than  you  know.  Are  you  betrothed  to  the  young 
lady?" 

"  I  hope  to  be,  soon." 

"  And  in  case  of  your  marriage  to  Miss  Fay 
Lapeer,  you  would  again  become  a  loyal  son  of  the 
Church,  would  devote  yourself  to  our  interests,  and 
forget  these  foolish,  boyish  fancies  ?  " 

There  was  a  painful  pause. 

"  I  really  do  not  see — "  began  the  marquis  once 
more. 

"  Answer  me !  "  thundered  the  priest. 

"  I  could  make  no  promises  of  that  sort,"  replied 
Guido  di  Cassini,  "  and  I  do  not  think  it  is  necessary 
for  me  to  ask  your  permission,  Padre  Veroni.  Miss 
Lapeer  is  a  Protestant,  and  if  I  am  so  fortunate  as 
to  win  her  for  my  wife,  she  will  doubtless  desire 
to  be  married  according  to  that  rite.  It  will  make 
no  difference  to  me.  The  civil  marriage  is  the  legal 
one,  anyway." 

Padre  Veroni  had  himself  well  under  control,  or 
he  would  have  burst  out  into  passionate  reproaches 
at  these  words. 

"  And  your  mother  ?  "  he  inquired. 
178 


THE    JESUIT 

"  My  mother  loves  me  and  will  agree  to  anything 
that  I  wish.  Besides,  I  am  my  own  master.  I  am 
thirty  years  old." 

"  I  understand  that  Miss  Fay  has  a  large  for- 
tune." 

"  I  do  not  know  and  have  never  tried  to  find  out. 
Whatever  she  has,  if  she  becomes  my  wife — and  I 
pray  God  she  will ! — will  be  entirely  in  her  own 
control.  I  have  enough  for  both,  and  am  no  for- 
tune-hunter." 

The  priest  put  his  hands  on  the  doorknob. 

"  Let  us  part  in  peace,  Guido,  my  boy.  Once 
more  I  ask  you,  solemnly,  will  you  yield  to  me  and 
vote  in  favor  of  this  bill  ?  It  seems  a  small  thing, 
but  it  may  influence  your  life  more  than  you  now 
imagine.  I  plead  with  you,  Guido.  Do  not  throw 
away  your  opportunity.  For  the  sake  of  your 
mother  and  for  the  happiness  of  the  woman  you 
love,  do  your  duty  toward  the  Church.  It  may 
mean  more  to  you  than  you  know." 

"  I  cannot  feel  it  right  to  go  against  my  own 
convictions,  Reverenza.  The  government  cannot 
turn  over  the  entire  education  of  children  in 
that  district  to  the  Church.  What  you  say  of 
the  lack  of  loyalty  to  the  Church  which  is  taught 
in  the  public  schools  is  true  in  the  reverse  in  the 
parochial  schools.  Do  you  teach  the  children  to 
honor  the  king  and  to  fight  for  their  country?  No, 
Padre  Veroni,  I  cannot  do  as  you  wish." 

"  Very  well.    Good  morning." 
179 


THE    JESUIT 

The  priest  strode  through  the  long  corridors  of 
the  palace,  and  with  a  surly  "  Grazie  "  accepted  his 
hat  from  the  servant.  Ten  minutes  later  he  was 
talking  animatedly  with  Cardinal  Perotti. 

The  marquis  sat  a  long  time  in  front  of  the  fire 
thinking.  He  was  an  Italian,  and  was  well  aware 
that  he  could  from  henceforth  expect  bitter  opposi- 
tion from  Padre  Veroni,  who  was  very  powerful. 
"  Yet,  he  can  do  nothing  which  can  seriously  injure 
me  or  my  family,"  thought  Guido,  considering  all 
side  of  the  question.  "  He  cannot  alienate  from  me 
my  family  or  my  property.  I  am  glad  that  Fay  is 
not  a  Roman  Catholic.  Who  knows?  Perhaps  I 
may  turn  evangelical !  She  may  teach  me  the  way." 

The  great  gun  on  Monte  Mario  boomed  out  the 
hour  of  twelve.  Guido  sprang  to  his  feet. 

"  I  promised  mother  to  go  to  the  convent  for 
Floria,"  he  said. 

Hastening  downstairs,  he  entered  a  closed  car- 
riage which  was  waiting,  and  was  driven  rapidly  to 
the  large  building  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city. 
Padre  Veroni,  his  veiled  threats,  his  reference  to  the 
power  of  the  Church,  were  all  forgotten,  as,  with  his 
sister  by  his  side,  he  returned  to  his  home.  It  was 
the  first  visit  she  had  made  to  her  family  in  five 
years,  and  it  would  be  the  last.  At  Easter  she  was 
to  begin  her  novitiate,  and  when  she  took  the  veil 
it  would  mean  farewell  forever  to  the  world.  The 
rules  of  the  order  were  very  strict;  not  even  the 
Marchesa  di  Cassini,  her  own  mother,  would  be  per- 

180 


THE    JESUIT 

mitted  to  see  Floria's  face.  She  might  come,  by 
permission  of  the  Mother  Superior,  and  at  stated 
times,  to  talk  with  her  daughter  through  a  grating 
and  in  the  presence  of  another  nun.  On  this  occa- 
sion of  the  Festa  of  the  Immaculate  Virgin,  Floria 
had  been  allowed  to  return  to  her  home  for  one 
month,  to  pass  the  Christmas  holidays.  Before 
Epiphany  she  must  return  to  the  convent,  rarely,  if 
ever,  to  leave  it  again,  and  then  only  in  a  closed  car- 
riage, with  shuttered  windows  and  drawn  curtains. 

The  marquis  often  wondered  at  his  own  weakness 
in  this  affair.  Why  had  he  not  long  ago  forbidden 
this  burial  in  a  convent  of  the  sister  whom  he  so 
dearly  loved  ?  Probably  his  hesitancy  was  due  to  a 
feeling  of  respect  toward  his  mother  and  a  reluctance 
to  interfere  in  religious  questions.  He  preferred  to 
leave  them  to  the  women  and  the  priests. 

Fay  Lapeer  had  grown  very  friendly  with 
Gemma,  the  second  sister  of  Marquis  di  Cassini. 
it  was  for  her  debut  that  the  Marchesa  was  to  give 
a  grand  ball  soon  in  the  splendid  rooms  of  the  pal- 
ace. Fay  had  already  ordered  a  new  gown  in 
fleecy  white  chiffon,  embroidered  in  silver,  from  one 
of  the  best  dressmakers  in  Rome.  The  embroidery 
was  to  be  done  by  the  poor  women  who  worked 
for  the  Woman's  Exchange  and  a  month's  work 
was  required  to  accomplish  it. 

Gemma  and  Fay  were  eagerly  discussing  this 
gown  and  the  coming  festivity  on  the  morning  after 
Floria's  arrival.  As  she  was  now  quite  familiar 

181 


THE    JESUIT 

with  the  corridors  and  salons  of  the  palace,  Fay  no 
longer  felt  the  desire  to  stop  and  examine  the  splen- 
did paintings  and  valuable  tapestries.  Today,  she 
and  Gemma  walked  through  a  long,  narrow  hall 
and  turned  off  to  a  wing  of  the  great  building, 
where  the  daughters  had  their  bedrooms  and  a  pri- 
vate sitting  room.  In  the  various  visits  which  Fay 
had  made  here  she  had  never  encountered  the 
marquis.  In  fact,  so  little  time  did  he  spend  with 
the  women  of  his  household  that  he  was  not  aware 
that  she  had  been  under  his  roof.  These  Roman 
palaces  are  immense  buildings.  The  entire  ground 
floor  is  given  up  to  the  domestics,  the  housekeeper's 
and  steward's  apartments,  the  offices,  servants'  din- 
ing rooms,  kitchen,  laundry,  and  in  some  cases,  the 
stables  and  carriages  find  accommodations  here. 
The  marquis  had  a  garage  for  his  two  fine  auto- 
mobiles and  his  chauffeur  slept  in  a  room  nearby. 
Two  large  Saint  Bernard  dogs  were  comfortably 
housed  in  the  court.  Behind  the  house  was  a  spa- 
cious garden,  with  vari-colored  flower-beds  and 
graceful  shade-trees,  with  arbors  and  fountains  and 
statues.  High  walls  surrounded  this  garden  of 
beauty,  and  little  noise  penetrated  here,  although 
the  palace  stood  in  the  center  of  busy  Rome. 

The  young  ladies  of  the  family,  and  even  the 
marchesa  herself,  never  left  home  unaccompanied. 
Most  of  their  time  was  spent  in  this  beautiful  gar- 
den, where  they  embroidered  or  read  the  few  books 
which  were  considered  by  their  father-confessor 

182 


THE    JESUIT 

suitable  for  them.  They  were  so  utterly  shocked 
when  Fay  came  alone  to  call  upon  them  that  she 
finally  decided  to  yield  to  their  Roman  prejudices 
and  brought  with  her  Romilda,  who  was  now 
Janet's  little  maid.  She  waited  downstairs,  meekly 
sitting  on  a  chair  in  the  court,  with  her  hands  rest- 
ing demurely  in  her  lap,  while  her  eyes  danced  with 
merriment  at  the  pranks  of  a  couple  of  mischievous 
stable  boys. 

The  apartment  of  the  marquis  was  in  the  oppo- 
site wing.  It  consisted  of  a  bedroom,  reception 
salon,  and  library.  Very  frequently  many  days 
passed  in  which  he  saw  his  mother  only  at  the  very 
formal  dinner.  The  day  after  Floria  came,  Guido 
had  appeared  most  unexpectedly  at  luncheon,  and 
had  gone  for  a  drive  with  the  ladies  on  the  Pincio 
and  through  the  winding  roads  of  the  Villa 
Borghese.  Indeed,  his  heart  was  sore  with  pity 
for  his  little  sister,  and  he  would  gladly  have  done 
anything  to  cause  her  pleasure. 

Gemma  opened  a  door,  but  closed  it  hastily, 
allowing  time,  however,  for  Fay  to  catch  a  glimpse 
of  an  altar,  with  a  stained  glass  window  above  it. 
Noting  her  curious  glance,  Gemma  said :  "  It  is  our 
private  chapel.  Would  you  like  to  see  it  ?  " 

"Very  much." 

In  the  semidarkness,  little  was  distinguishable  at 
first.  It  was  a  small  room,  and  the  window, 
through  which  the  dim  light  penetrated,  was  made 
of  rare  old  glass,  richly  tinted.  Facing  it  were  sev- 

183 


THE    JESUIT 

eral  kneeling  benches,  and  at  one  of  them  knelt  a 
young  girl,  dressed  in  sober  gray.  In  her  hands 
she  turned  a  rosary.  Her  head  was  bowed  in 
prayer.  The  obscurity  and  the  stillness,  the  motion- 
less, kneeling  figure,  the  rose  light  falling  on  the 
face  of  the  mother  in  a  fine  copy  of  the  Sistine 
Madonna  affected  Fay  powerfully.  The  beauty 
appealed  to  her  aesthetic  sense,  which  was  very 
strongly  developed.  She  had  found  it  hard  to  be 
good,  to  shut  out  the  world  and  devote  herself  to 
God  alone.  Surely,  it  would  be  easy,  here  in  this 
quiet  chapel!  She  felt  faint  and  ill,  overcome  by 
a  new  and  peculiar  emotion.  Peace  must  be  found 
in  such  a  place  as  this!  Opening  the  door,  she 
stepped  out  into  the  sun-lighted  hall.  It  was  a 
transition  which  jarred  upon  Fay's  highly-strung 
sensibilities. 

"  That  was  my  sister  Floria,"  explained  Gemma. 
"  She  will  spend  a  month  with  us  before  entering 
the  convent  forever.  Twice  a  day  she  has  to  pray 
for  a  long  time  in  the  chapel.  What  a  task  it  must 
be!  I  am  thankful  that  mamma  did  not  make  a 
vow  that  I  should  have  a  vocation.  I  should  not 
have  been  so  patient  as  Floria  is !  " 

"  How  did  it  happen  ?  " 

"  Haven't  you  ever  heard  ?  I  thought  Lady  Eger 
told  you  when  she  took  you  to  the  convent.  When 
Floria  was  a  tiny  baby,  mamma  was  very  ill,  and 
everybody  thought  she  was  going  to  die.  So  she 
vowed  to  the  Madonna  that  if  she  would  spare  her 

184 


THE    JESUIT 

life  Floria  should  be  a  nun  and  spend  her  time  pray- 
ing for  the  rest  of  us  poor,  worldly  creatures.  You 
see,  Floria  is  next  to  the  youngest  of  us  four  girls, 
and  I  suppose  mamma  thought  it  would  be  a  good 
and  easy  way  to  dispose  of  one  of  us.  It  is  a  diffi- 
cult matter  to  find  suitable  husbands  for  four  daugh- 
ters, even  though  they  do  have  large  dowries. 
There's  my  dress.  How  do  you  like  it  ?  " 

Fay  absently  fingered  the  costly  lace  and  silk, 
but  her  mind  was  busy  with  her  thoughts.  "  How 
beautiful !  "  she  said  at  last. 

Gemma's  face  brightened.  She  had  been  annoyed 
by  Fay's  coldness. 

"  I'm  so  glad  you  like  it,"  she  replied. 

"Forgive  me,  Gemma."  Fay  clasped  the  small 
brown  hand  in  her  own.  "  The  dress  is  very  lovely, 
and  you  will  be  charming  in  it;  but  when  I  said 
'  how  beautiful ! '  I  was  not  referring  to  it." 

"To  what,  then?" 

*  To  Floria  and  the  sacrifice  she  made  for  her 
mother.  She  must  love  her  very  much,"  added 
romantic  Fay. 

Gemma  was  of  a  practical  turn  of  mind.  She 
responded,  dryly,  "  She  has  scarcely  seen  enough 
of  mamma  to  know  whether  she  loves  her  or  not. 
And  it  would  not  have  mattered  much.  She  could 
not  help  herself  if  the  priest  and  mamma  told  her 
she  must  be  a  nun.  I  think  she  hates  the  life," 
Gemma  continued,  as  calmly  as  if  she  were  speaking 
of  a  matter  in  which  she  had  not  the  slightest  per- 

185 


THE    JESUIT 

sonal  interest.  "  Fay,  what  flowers  shall  I  wear — 
roses,  or  lilies  of  the  valley?  " 

"  I  am  sure  I  don't  know,"  Fay  answered,  lost  in 
her  dreams. 

Gemma,  deeply  hurt  at  this  indifference  in  an 
affair  of  so  great  importance,  followed  her  through 
the  hall  and  parted  from  her  without  the  customary 
show  of  affection. 


186 


CHAPTER  XVI 

SOMEONE  has  said  that  every  event  in  this  world 
takes  its  coloring  from  the  point  of  view.  It  would 
have  been  interesting  to  study  the  impression  made 
on  the  minds  of  the  thousands  of  men  and  women 
who  were  assembled  in  the  Church  of  Saint  Peter 
by  the  function  which  took  place  on  December  6, 
1905.  Pius  X,  a  simple-hearted  peasant  Pope,  was 
to  crown  the  pictured  head  of  the  Virgin  Mary  with 
a  circlet  composed  of  diamonds  and  other  sparkling 
precious  stones,  which  had  cost  thirty  thousand  dol- 
lars. Cardinals,  bishops,  and  priests  had  come  to 
Rome  for  this  fiftieth  anniversary  of  Pius  IXth's 
promulgation  of  the  doctrine  of  Mary's  immaculate 
conception.  Even  now,  in  the  early  hours  of  a  cold 
winter  day,  the  procession  was  entering  the  building, 
a  procession  so  gorgeous,  so  stately,  that  rarely  has 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church  produced  its  equal. 

The  Pope,  borne  upon  the  chair  of  state,  was 
robed  in  all  the  rich  and  costly  vestments  which  were 
his  by  pontifical  right.  The  cardinals,  in  purple  gar- 
ments, passed  slowly  by.  It  was  a  scene  long  to  be 
remembered,  if  not  reverently,  at  least  as  a  grand 
theatrical  display  and  shimmer  of  silk  and  gold  em- 
broidery, brightened  by  the  jewel  colors  which  fil- 
tered through  century-old  windows  of  rare  glass. 
Some  of  the  thousands  of  spectators  bowed  rever- 

187 


THE    JESUIT 

ently,  as  the  Pope  held  out  his  hand  in  apostolic  and 
pontifical  benediction;  others  looked  on  with 
curiosity,  some  with  amusement,  as  if  they  were 
gratified  and  diverted  by  the  unusual  display. 

The  Lapeers  were  all  there,  occupying  specially 
fine  places,  thanks  to  Cardinal  Perotti's  wise  fore- 
thought and  his  respect  for  the  millions  which  the 
three  ladies  represented.  With  them  was  Lady 
Eger,  who  was  looking  pale  and  thin. 

Far  back  in  the  procession,  among  the  humbler 
clergy,  was  Don  Paolo,  who  had  taken  his  place  un- 
willingly, and  with  a  feeling  of  sadness  which  he 
was  unable  to  overcome.  What  a  farce  it  appeared 
to  him,  this  show  of  state,  the  wealth  of  vestments, 
this  mockery  of  religion!  He  had  begun  to  drink 
deeply  at  the  pure  fountain  of  spiritual  truth  as 
taught  by  Christ  himself.  The  function  of  today, 
the  offering  to  the  Virgin  of  an  almost  pagan  idol- 
atry, an  idolatry  which  could  only  be  unpleasing  to 
the  humble  mother  of  our  Lord,  was  distasteful  to 
Don  Paolo,  who  endured  it  for  two  reasons :  one  was 
a  feeling  of  gratitude  and  respect  to  Padre  Veroni ; 
the  other,  because  of  his  affection  for  an  old  woman 
who  knelt  yonder  by  the  pillar,  her  black-veiled  head 
bowed  over  her  rosary  which  she  turned  in  hard, 
knotted  hands,  worn  by  heavy  work  in  the  fields  far 
from  Rome.  It  was  Aunt  Rosina,  her  long-cherished 
desire  fulfilled  by  this  pilgrimage  to  what  she  con- 
sidered the  Holy  City.  He  could  not  disappoint 
her ;  once  more,  and  once  only,  and  then,  farewell  to 

1 88 


THE    JESUIT 

all  these  associations  and  a  beginning  of  a  new  and 
better  life,  devoted  to  God's  service,  if  it  please  him. 
Don  Paolo  knelt  also,  and  there,  deaf  to  all  that 
was  passing  around  him,  regardless  of  the  music, 
the  prayers,  the  intoning,  he  consecrated  himself  to 
God's  work,  ready  to  accept  hardships,  disgrace  in 
the  sight  of  those  who  had  been  his  friends,  and 
ostracism  from  all  Roman  Catholics.  The  path 
would  be  stony  and  hard,  but  there  was  One  who 
had  "  trod  the  winepress  alone,"  whose  hands  and 
feet  had  been  pierced  with  nails,  who  would  go  with 
him,  close  by  his  side.  He  would  not  be  alone.  A 
great  peace  filled  Don  Paolo's  soul,  and  when  Janet 
saw  his  face,  as  the  procession  filed  slowly  by  on  its 
return  to  the  Vatican,  she  wondered  at  the  singular 
light  which  illuminated  and  ennobled  it. 

The  Lapeer  party  had  closely  observed  the  entire 
function,  but  with  totally  different  feelings.  Mrs. 
Lapeer  was  intensely  interested  in  the  vestments  and 
the  different  robes  of  cardinals,  bishops,  and  priests. 
Janet  was  puzzling  out  for  herself  the  whole  ques- 
tion of  whys  and  wherefores,  analyzing  it  more  or 
less  critically,  until  the  personal  element  entered  into 
it,  and  she  forgot  criticism  in  extreme  anxiety. 
Lady  Eger  was  on  her  knees,  as  the  Pope  was  car- 
ried by,  and,  to  Janet's  horror,  Fay,  her  sister  Fay, 
with  an  abrupt  movement,  sank  down  reverently, 
bowed  her  fair  head  beneath  the  benediction  of  the 
Pope,  and  crossed  herself  as  fervently  as  if  she  had 
been  a  Roman  Catholic  all  her  life. 

189 


THE    JESUIT 

Mrs.  Gray  shot  a  glance  at  Mrs.  Lapeer,  who 
appeared  to  be  calm  and  unmoved  by  this  strange 
occurrence. 

"  You  would  have  supposed  that  she  was  accus- 
tomed to  seeing  Fay  act  that  way,"  Mrs.  Gray  said, 
excitedly,  to  her  husband  in  the  privacy  of  their 
own  room  at  the  pension,  an  hour  later. 

Mr.  Gray  smoked,  calmly. 

"  No  doubt  she  is  very  much  pleased,"  he  re- 
sponded, at  last. 

"  Pleased !  What  do  you  mean,  Henry  ?  Pleased 
that  her  daughter  should  turn  Catholic ! " 

"  Hasn't  she  been  hobnobbing  with  priests  for 
some  time?  Doesn't  she  want  Fay  to  marry  the 
marquis  who  comes  here  so  often?  My  dear 
Mary,"  Mr.  Gray  laid  down  his  cigar  and  stood 
up  in  front  of  his  wife,  "  these  priests  play  their 
game  mighty  well.  They  don't  spend  any  time  over 
us  honest  fellows  who  keep  our  wits  about  us ;  we 
are  too  hard  to  deal  with.  They  take  hold  of  the 
widows  and  the  fatherless — always  providing  they 
have  plenty  of  money — and  gently  beguile  them  by 
means  of  theatrical  exhibitions  and  good  music, 
and  make  them  believe  that  they  are  becoming  spir- 
itual, religious!  Bah!  it  is  unbearable." 

"  But,  Henry,  Grace  Lapeer  is  not  a  fool.  She 
attends  to  all  her  own  business  affairs  as  well  as 
any  man." 

"  Not  by  any  means  a  fool,  my  dear.  But  they 
knew  just  where  her  tender  spot  was — her  ambition 

190 


THE     JESUIT 

for  her  children.  They've  caught  Fay,  poor  girl! 
But  they'll  never  get  Janet !  " 

"  Her  face  was  as  pale  as  a  sheet." 

"  I'm  sorry  for  Janet,  and  I'm  sorry  for  them  all, 
Mary,  for  I  feel  that  there  are  troubles  ahead  of 
them.  If  we  could  help — " 

"  I  don't  see  how  we  can,"  sighed  Mrs.  Gray. 
"  It's  that  wily  Lady  Eger  and  that  Italian  priest — " 

"  That  are  weaving  the  web.  That's  true  enough, 
but  behind  them,  Mary,  is  a  tremendous  power,  a 
hierarchy  so  great,  so  ambitious,  that  it  is  using 
every  means  to  gain  its  own  ends.  America  and 
England  will  have  to  watch  out,  or  they'll  get  caught 
in  the  web,  too.  It's  hard  for  us  Anglo-Saxon 
Protestants  to  get  on  to  their  methods,  but,  by  Jove ! 
if  we  don't  do  it  soon,  their  methods  will  get  on 
to  us!" 

Mr.  Gray  took  up  his  cigar,  lighted  it  again,  and 
became  absorbed  in  gloomy  contemplation. 

"  Would  it  do  any  good  for  me  to  talk  to 
Grace  ?  "  suggested  Mrs.  Gray  at  last. 

"  Not  the  slightest.  Her  head  is  full  of  nonsense. 
I  tell  you,  Mary,  I'm  not  a  very  religious  man,  not 
so  much  as  I  ought  to  be,  but  I'm  convinced  of  one 
thing.  You  good  women  must  get  down  on  your 
knees,  and  pray,  pray  harder  than  you  ever  have  in 
your  lives  that  God  will  take  a  hand  in  this  matter." 


191 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE  announcement  of  the  betrothal  of  Marquis 
di  Cassini  to  a  beautiful  and  wealthy  American  lady 
caused  a  sensation  in  Rome.  Mrs.  Lapeer  and  her 
daughters  were  no  longer  obscure  and  unknown 
tourists;  they  became  the  center  of  interest,  for  the 
moment,  in  both  branches  of  society:  to  the 
"  Blacks " — or  those  families  whose  sympathies 
were  strongly  in  favor  of  the  papal  party — because 
of  the  bigotry  of  the  marchioness,  and  also  to  those 
moving  in  political,  liberal  circles,  to  which  the 
marquis  belonged. 

Invitations  were  showered  upon  the  Lapeers. 
Carriages,  whose  doors  were  ornamented  with 
coronets  or  an  elaborate  coat-of-arms,  were  seen 
daily  in  front  of  the  pension.  Congratulations, 
bouquets  of  exquisite  orchids  or  choice  blossoms, 
and  even  presents  of  costly  jewels,  were  offered  to 
Fay,  who,  in  the  unusual  excitement,  became  more 
lovely  and  charming  each  clay.  It  was  a  new  experi- 
ence in  the  midst  of  novel  surroundings,  and  Mrs. 
Lapeer's  head  was  almost  turned  by  the  adulation 
which  was  given  them.  She  hired  an  electric  auto- 
mobile, with  properly  liveried  chauffeur  and  foot- 
man, and,  in  company  with  her  daughters,  paid 
visits,  drove  in  the  parks,  or  encircled  the  Pincian 
Hill,  joining  the  line  of  waiting  vehicles  to  listen  to 

192 


THE    JESUIT 

the  music  of   the  band,    and   receive  compliments 
from  the  gentlemen  who  came  to  speak  to  the  ladies. 

Father  Veroni  had  been  among  the  first  to  present 
his  good  wishes  to  the  future  marchioness.  Fay  had 
never  thought  him  so  pleasant  or  winning  as  when 
he  wished  her  every  blessing. 

"  We  shall  soon  welcome  you  to  the  Mother 
Church,  my  dear  young  lady,"  he  said,  grasping  her 
hand,  warmly.  "  When  will  you  make  your  formal 
declaration  before  the  world?  " 

"  When  you  desire  it,  Father  Veroni,"  Fay 
replied. 

"  You  are  absolutely  certain  of  the  wisdom  of  this 
step?"  he  added,  in  apparent  hesitation.  "It  will 
make  a  difference  in  your  life.  It  means  and  re- 
quires a  certain  degree  of  separation  from  your 
family  and  early  associations;  it  may  include  the 
sacrifice  of  your  will  to. the  decrees  of  the  Church." 

"  I  am  ready  for  all  this,"  Fay  replied,  with 
unusual  firmness,  for  the  priest's  eye  held  hers. 
With  that  penetrating  gaze  fixed  upon  them,  many 
men  and  women  had  been  willing,  even  eager,  to 
resign  all  that  was  dear  to  them,  for  the  sake  of  the 
Church  which  he  represented. 

There  was  a  slight  expression  of  triumph  in  those 
eyes,  as  Father  Veroni  said :  "  And  your  mother  ?  " 

"  My  mother  will  not  oppose  my  wishes.  I  have 
hopes  that  she,  too,  may  some  day  adopt  the  true 
faith." 

"  Have  you  told  your  sister  ?  " 
193 


THE     JESUIT 

The  question  of  Janet's  conversion  was  one  which 
Padre  Veroni  had  never  discussed,  even  with  him- 
self. He  had  an  instinctive  feeling  that  it  was  not 
possible. 

For  the  first  time,  Fay's  expression  was  saddened. 

"  No,"  she  said,  softly.    "  I  am  afraid." 

"Fear  not,"  replied  the  priest.  "  It  is  your  fixed 
purpose  and  desire  to  become  a  Roman  Catholic,  is  it 
not?" 

"  I  have  been  one  for  some  time  already  in  my 
heart." 

"  Then  have  no  fear.  Go  boldly  to  your  sister 
and  tell  her  all.  She  is  a  noble  woman,  and,  though 
she  may  differ  with  you  in  her  religious  views,  she 
will  be  too  broad-minded  to  condemn  you."  How 
well  this  priest  understood  Janet's  character !  "You 
may  be  the  means  of  saving  her  soul." 

Fay  clasped  her  hands  together,  nervously. 

"  O,  if  it  might  be  so !  I  would  make  any  sacri- 
fice, do  anything,  if  Janet  could  be  brought  to  be- 
lieve in  the  truth  faith — our  faith !  " 

Father  Veroni  studied  the  face  before  him.  It 
was  full  of  beauty  and  sweetness,  and  he  saw  in  it 
exactly  what  he  wanted  to  find,  exactly  what  suited 
his  purposes,  the  characteristics  of  an  enthusiast,  a 
fanatic.  Once  aroused  in  her  affections,  Fay  Lapeer 
would  go  to  the  extreme  limit  of  self-sacrifice.  She 
was  a  girl  of  one  idea.  At  present  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church  exercised  its  power  over  her  and 
she  was  absorbed  in  the  new  faith. 

.194 


THE    JESUIT 

"  That  is  the  spirit  which  animated  the  saints 
and  martyrs,"  said  Father  Veroni,  softly,  watching 
the  effect  of  his  words.  The  girl's  soul  was  like  an 
exquisite  instrument,  on  which  he  must  play  gently, 
with  skilled  touch.  "  They  were  ready  to  die  for 
their  religion.  May  I  say  one  thing  more?  The 
Marquis  di  Cassini,  though  born  of  a  pious  mother, 
shows  a  decided  leaning  toward  liberal  views.  It 
has  saddened  me  greatly  and  I  am  building  strong 
hopes  on  your  influence  over  him.  Who  knows? 
You  may  be  the  means  of  drawing  him  back,  of 
holding  him  to  the  Church.  In  these  days,  when 
her  enemies  are  so  powerful,  she  has  need  of  such 
men  as  the  marquis.  Perhaps  it  was  for  this  pur- 
pose that  you  came  to  Rome,  that  you  met  the  mar- 
quis, and  became  betrothed  to  him." 

Fay  was  now  completely  carried  away  with  en- 
thusiasm. Her  eyes  shone  with  unusual  brilliancy 
and  the  priest  felt  a  thrill  of  self-reproach. 

"  It  is  worth  a  sacrifice,  is  it  not  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes,"  she  replied,  simply,  and  he  knew  that  the 
seed  so  carefully  planted  had  fallen  on  good  ground 
and  would  bear  fruit. 

Father  Veroni  left  her  and  went  out  into  the 
street,  walking  slowly  toward  his  home. 

"  How  the  girl  loves  that  man !  "  he  thought, 
"  and  it  is  through  this  love  that  we  must  work.  If 
the  marquis  will  yield  to  her  influence,  all  will  be 
well.  If  not,  he  must  bear  the  consequences  of  his 
stubbornness  and  folly.  Lady  Eger  will  help — but 

195 


THE    JESUIT 

sometimes  I  have  doubts  of  Lady  Eger,  As  her 
physical  strength  diminishes,  her  mind  reverts  to 
her  early  life,  to  her  husband  and  child ;  her  affection 
for  the  Church  is  lessened  by  these  earthly  ties.  I 
must  go  more  frequently  to  see  her.  It  has  been  my 
observation  that,  in  such  cases,  the  personal  element 
is  very  powerful,  the  influence  of  mind  upon  mind 
is  important." 

There  was  a  peculiar  smile  on  Father  Veroni's 
lips  which  implied  certain  agreeable  recollections. 
This  smile  changed  suddenly  to  a  frown.  Was  that 
Don  Paolo  crossing  the  street  and  entering  the 
Protestant  building,  on  which  the  white  marble 
cross,  surmounting  the  church  door,  glistened  in  the 
bright  sunshine  ?  It  certainly  was  the  young  priest ! 
He  had  courage  to  do  this  bold  act  in  broad  day- 
light. 

"  Going  to  Pierce!  "  muttered  Padre  Veroni.  "  I 
fear  that  he  is  lost  to  us.  He  has  a  brilliant  mind 
and  unusual  ability,  but  these  are  combined  with  too 
great  a  desire  to  speculate  on  religious  questions 
and  be  independent.  What  a  fool  the  boy  is!  He 
could  be  a  bishop,  or  a  cardinal,  by  exercising  a 
reasonable  amount  of  prudence  and  keeping  his 
opinions  to  himself.  But  no;  he  must  throw  away 
a  successful  future  for  an  idea,  a  myth." 

Occupied  with  these  thoughts,  Father  Veroni 
turned  his  steps  toward  the  Vatican,  to  the  apart- 
ment of  Cardinal  Perotti.  The  result  of  his  con- 
versation with  this  prelate  was  the  appearance  at 

196 


THE    JESUIT 

Don  Paolo's  door,  the  next  day,  of  a  spruce  young 
man  who  sent  in  a  neatly  engraved  card  bearing  the 
name :  "  Enrico  Gardi,  Secretary  to  His  Eminence 
Cardinal  Perotti." 

Don  Paolo  read  the  card  twice  before  he  spoke  to 
the  servant  who  brought  it  to  him. 

"  Ask  the  gentleman  to  come  in,"  he  said. 

He  glanced  around  the  room  with  a  smile  which 
denoted  some  amusement.  The  cardinal's  secretary 
would  find  food  for  surprise  in  his  library.  There 
were  no  longer  any  signs  of  priestly  life  in  it.  The 
ivory  and  ebony  crucifix,  a  gift  from  Father  Veroni, 
had  been  removed  from  its  place.  There  were  no 
pictures  of  the  madonna,  no  photographs  of  well- 
known  shrines.  With  the  exception  of  one  or  two 
family  portraits  the  walls  were  bare  of  ornament. 
On  the  table  lay  a  Bible,  with  several  other  Protes- 
tant books  by  noted  authors.  The  only  touch  of 
color  came  from  a  beautiful  rose  in  a  plain  glass 
vase,  standing  where  Don  Paolo  could  enjoy  its 
loveliness  and  inhale  its  fragrance. 

"You  desired  to  see  me?"  he  inquired,  cour- 
teously, when  the  cardinal's  secretary  entered. 

"  Yes,  Reverenza.  I  bring  a  letter  from  his  emi- 
nence, Cardinal  Perotti." 

"  Please  be  seated,  sir." 

Signer  Gardi  looked  around  him  with  interest. 
His  eyes  saw  even  the  smallest  details.  Last  of  all, 
they  rested  on  the  priest.  The  secretary  knew  a 
good  deal  about  Don  Paolo ;  his  ears  were  ever  open 

197 


THE    JESUIT 

to  catch  the  lightest  word.  He  knew  that  the  priest 
was  called  the  "  Silver-tongued,"  and  that  common 
report  said  that  Father  Veroni  loved  him  better 
than  he  did  anyone  else  in  the  whole  world.  The 
wily  secretary  surmised  that  there  was  a  romance 
somewhere,  far  back  in  the  life  of  this  cold,  reserved 
Jesuit.  He  knew,  also,  that  Don  Paolo  was  sus- 
pected of  a  tendency  toward  heresy,  and  he  shared 
Father  Veroni's  opinion  that  he  was  a  fool. 

"  The  carriage  is  waiting?  "  asked  Don  Paolo,  at 
last. 

"  His  eminence's  carriage  is  at  the  door, 
Reverenza." 

"  Then  let  us  go  at  once." 

His  voice  was  calm  and  his  step  firm.  Not  even 
the  observant  secretary  suspected  that  his  heart 
fluttered  like  a  woman's,  and  his  prayer  arose  to 
God  for  strength  in  the  ordeal  which  he  knew 
awaited  him.  It  was  no  light  matter  for  a  priest 
to  be  called  before  a  great  cardinal,  high  in  favor 
at  the  Vatican.  In  a  city  where  everyone  is  watched, 
where  every  gesture,  every  word  is  supposed  to  have 
a  special  signification,  Don  Paolo  knew  that  he  could 
not  go  to  the  Protestant  building  without  being 
observed.  He  was  an  honorable,  conscientious 
man.  He  had  entered  the  door  openly  and  without 
fear,  being  ready  to  suffer  the  extreme  consequences 
of  his  actions. 

The  secretary  noticed  with  the  satisfaction  of  one 
who  regards  this  life  as  a  stage,  on  which  men  were 

198 


THE    JESUIT 

playing  for  evil  or  good  for  his  amusement,  that  the 
priest's  cheeks  were  very  pale  when  he  was  shown 
into  the  immense  library,  where  the  cardinal  and 
Father  Veroni  were  sitting.  The  room  was  in  semi- 
darkness.  Its  windows  were  shaded  by  the  high 
walls  of  surrounding  sections  of  the  Vatican  Palace. 
It  was  with  sincere  regret  that  the  secretary  reluc- 
tantly closed  the  door,  metaphorically  dropping  the 
curtain  of  a  play  which  promised  to  be  interesting, 
if  not  exciting. 

"  God  help  me!  "  murmured  Paolo  Gregori,  going 
slowly  forward  to  the  two  men. 

There  was  stillness  in  the  spacious,  vaulted  room. 
Don  Paolo's  footsteps  were  stifled  in  a  thick  Persian 
carpet.  Neither  of  those  who  were  awaiting  his 
coming  made  any  welcoming  movement  except  to 
offer  him  their  white  hands,  which  he  kissed,  accord- 
ing to  his  lifelong  habit  when  greeting  a  superior. 
He  stood  in  front  of  them  like  a  culprit. 

"  Your  Eminence  wished  to  see  me  ? "  he  in- 
quired, breaking  the  oppressive  silence.  The  sound 
of  his  own  voice  gave  him  courage.  Into  his  mind 
came  those  lines  of  Luther's  hymn  which  had  so 
impressed  him  that  evening  when  he  heard  them 
sung  in  the  Protestant  church: 

Let  goods  and  kindred  go, 
This  mortal  life  also; 
The  body  they  may  kill, 
God's  truth  abideth  still, 
His  kingdom  is  forever. 
199 


THE     JESUIT 

"I  did,"  replied  the  cardinal.  "Pray  take  a 
seat" 

"  If  your  Eminence  permits,  I  prefer  to  stand." 

"  As  you  like." 

There  was  a  painful  pause.  Finally,  the  cardinal 
spoke. 

"  It  is  better  for  us  to  go  directly  to  the  point, 
Don  Paolo.  Perhaps  you  already  suspect  why  we 
have  called  you  to  our  presence.  Your  own  con- 
science tells  you." 

Don  Paolo  did  not  reply. 

"  You  are  suspected  of  having  heretical  tenden- 
cies. You  have  been  seen  reading  books  written  by 
Protestant  authors  and  attending  services  in  evan- 
gelical churches.  You  are  intimate  with  a  well- 
known  evangelical  minister  and  you  associate  with 
Protestants.  It  is  surmised  that  you  desire  to  leave 
the  Church  which  has  sheltered  you,  educated  you, 
fed  and  nurtured  you,  has  given  you,  in  short,  all 
that  you  have  ever  had." 

For  the  first  time  Don  Paolo  flushed  deeply.  To 
be  accused  of  holding  one's  own  opinions  is  not 
insulting;  to  be  accused  of  base  ingratitude  is  quite 
another  matter,  and  wounds  a  sensitive  soul.  He 
glanced  at  Father  Veroni,  who  was  shading  his  face 
with  his  hand. 

"Are  these  things  true?"  asked  the  cardinal. 

"  It  is  true  that  I  have  sought  to  know  more  of 
God's  truth ;  it  is  true  that  I  have  read  the  Protestant 
Bible  and  many  other  books  dealing  with  evangelical 

200 


THE    JESUIT 

questions.  It  is  true  that  I  have  learned  much  from 
the  Protestant  pastor  to  whom  you  refer  and  from 
other  good  men.  But  it  is  not  true  that  I  am  in- 
sensible to  the  kindness  and  favor  which  I  have  re- 
ceived from  my  childhood.  No,  no!  that  is  not 
true.  Father  Veroni  knows  that  I  can  never  repay 
the  debt  I  owe  him  for  all  that  he  has  done  for  me." 
Father  Veroni  moved  impatiently.  "  But  I  am  a 
man,  and  claim  a  man's  right  to  think  and  judge 
for  myself.  I  can  no  longer  allow  the  Church  to 
decide  for  me." 

The  cardinal  looked  at  him  reprovingly,  yet  with 
a  curious  air. 

"  It  is  not  necessary  to  get  excited.  We  want 
plain  facts.  You  have  acknowledged  that  the  accu- 
sations are  true." 

"  The  first  part  of  your  Eminence's  accusations 
is  true." 

Again,  for  a  long  moment,  there  was  perfect 
silence  in  the  immense  room. 

"  Will  you  tell  us,"  said  Father  Veroni,  "  why 
you  are  willing  tq  confess  all  this  ?  Why  don't  you 
keep  silent?  You  could  continue  in  the  priesthood, 
do  your  duty  faithfully  toward  the  Church,  and 
think  as  you  please.  Tell  us  why !  " 

Father  Veroni  had  removed  his  hand  from  his 
eyes  and  gazed  at  Paolo  with  curiosity.  He  wanted 
to  know  what  the  power  was  which  gave  the  boy 
courage  to  confess  his  convictions,  to  stand  up 
bravely  in  the  cardinal's  presence. 

201 


THE    JESUIT 

The  young  priest's  expression  changed.  It  be- 
came indescribably  sweet  and  winning. 

"  At  first,  I  wanted  to  stay  in  the  Church  and 
think  as  I  pleased,  obeying  her  commands  and  doing 
my  duty  toward  her.  I  soon  found  that  this  was 
impossible  for  me.  I  could  not  be  a  hypocrite.  I 
had  found  Jesus,"  he  added,  softly. 

"  What !  "  exclaimed  both  the  cardinal  and  Father 
Veroni.  "You  did  what?" 

"  I  found  Jesus,"  repeated  Don  Paolo,  "  and  he 
forgave  me  my  sins,  he  pardoned  my  transgressions, 
he  led  me  out  of  darkness  into  a  great  light,  he  filled 
my  soul  with  his  Spirit  and  love  and  bade  me  take 
courage  and  follow  him.  I  must  follow  my  Master 
openly." 

The  cardinal  spoke  to  Padre  Veroni  in  an  under- 
tone. The  priest  rose  suddenly,  came  to  Paolo's 
side,  and,  in  those  tones  which  so  often  strangely 
moved  the  hearts  of  men,  began  to  speak. 

"  Paolo,  my  son,  I  love  thee.  I  have  loved  thee 
since  the  day  when  thy  mother  begged  me  to  care 
for  thee  as  thy  dead  father  would  have  done.  Be 
not  carried  away  by  strange  doctrines.  Forget  these 
things  which  have  enticed  thee  from  thy  Church; 
put  thine  heart  into  thy  work.  All  will  be  forgiven. 
There  is  a  brilliant  future  before  thee.  Cardinal 
Perotti  will  be  thy  friend.  I  will  assist  thee  to  rise 
high,  higher  than  thine  ambitious  thoughts  can  lead 
thee  to  imagine.  Thou  hast  wonderful  gifts  in 
speech ;  use  them  for  the  Church  and  she  will  reward 

202 


THE     JESUIT 

thee.  Forsake  not  thy  Church  and  those  who  love 
thee.  Stay  with  us,  Paolo,  my  son." 

Don  Paolo  trembled.  "  The  way  is  hard,  O 
Lord !  "  he  said  within  his  soul.  He  knew  that 
Father  Veroni  would  never  have  stooped  to  plead 
thus  with  a  humble  young  priest,  if  he  had  not  loved 
him.  And  he  knew,  too,  that  there  were  very  few 
men  whom  Padre  Veroni  loved.  The  words  of  the 
man  who  had  been  all  to  him  that  a  father  could 
have  been,  moved  him  powerfully. 

"  I  cannot,"  he  murmured.  "  I  must  follow  my 
Lord,  even  though  the  way  be  dark  and  the  path 
stormy." 

"  Think  again,"  continued  Father  Veroni. 
"  With  us,  all  that  the  heart  of  man  desires ;  with 
the  Protestants,  suffering,  poverty,  humiliation." 

Paolo  took  Father  Veroni's  hand  and  clasped  it 
in  both  of  his  hands. 

"  My  father,  I  cannot.  I  love  you  and  thank  you, 
and  would  gladly  remain,  if  I  could." 

Father  Veroni  drew  his  hand  away,  abruptly, 
almost  violently.  Without  another  word  he  left  the 
library. 

The  cardinal  touched  a  bell  and  the  secretary  ap- 
peared, round-eyed  and  observant. 

"  Accompany  Don  Paolo  to  the  door,"  he  said. 

Acknowledging  courteously  the  salutation  of  Don 
Paolo,  the  cardinal  remained  seated  in  his  armchair, 
tapping  his  ringers  impatiently  on  the  desk  beside 
him,  and  pondering  many  questions  which  concerned 

203 


THE    JESUIT 

the  future  of  his  Church.  He  was  not  specially  agi- 
tated over  the  fact  that  a  young  priest  had  adopted 
Protestant  views  and  wished  to  leave  the  Church. 
One  priest,  more  or  less,  made  little  difference,  for 
it  was  a  great  organization  and  could  afford  to  lose 
dissatisfied  members.  His  eminence  smiled  grimly, 
as  he  thought  that  three  hundred  years  before  a 
rebellious  priest  would  not  have  been  treated  so 
gently;  he  would  have  suddenly  retired  from  public 
life  to  spend  his  remaining  days  in  repentance  for 
his  sins  in  some  obscure  monastery,  which  was  prac- 
tically a  prison.  In  the  twentieth  century,  one  used 
other  means  of  bringing  the  refractory  youth  to  his 
senses;  excommunication,  social  ostracism,  separa- 
tion from  family — these  were  powerful  weapons. 

The  cardinal  yawned  and  rang  the  bell  for  light. 
He  had  only  entered  into  this  affair  to  gratify  Father 
Veroni,  who  was  influential  and  would,  doubtless,  be 
appointed  a  cardinal  at  the  next  Consistory.  Padre 
Veroni's  weakness  was  his  extraordinary  affection 
for  Paolo  Gregori. 

It  was  not  the  loss  of  this  one  priest  that  disturbed 
Cardinal  Perotti's  peace  of  mind.  Unfortunately, 
this  was  but  an  instance,  a  sign  of  the  times.  In  the 
Church  and  priesthood  there  were  hundreds,  perhaps 
thousands,  who  were  doing  their  duty  and  thinking 
as  they  pleased.  What  did  this  presage  for  the 
future — reform  or  revolt? 


204 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE  die  was  cast,  no  matter  what  the  result  might 
be.  In  spite  of  his  exalted  mood  and  the  knowledge 
that  he  had  acted  according  to  the  dictates  of  his 
conscience,  Paolo  could  not  control  the  tremor  of 
excitement  which  agitated  him.  Would  the  cardinal 
and  Father  Veroni  try  to  prevent  his  withdrawal 
from  the  priesthood  ?  If  so,  by  what  means  ?  The 
uncertainty  of  his  future  did  not  trouble  him.  He 
was  young,  strong,  and  courageous. 

After  leaving  the  cardinal's  apartment  he  walked 
slowly  through  the  narrow  dark  streets  which  are 
near  the  Vatican  Palace,  crossed  the  bridge  spanning 
the  sluggishly  flowing  Tiber,  and  continued  his  way 
along  the  busy  Corso  Vittorio  Emmanuele.  People 
jostled  him,  but  he  did  not  notice  them.  Wagons 
rattled  by  and  small  boys  interfered  with  his  prog- 
ress. He  smiled  gently  and  made  room  for  them. 
It  was  a  day  in  late  winter,  and  the  windows  of  the 
tall  houses  along  the  wide  street  were  thrown  open  to 
admit  the  mild,  soft  air.  A  basket  of  violets,  purple 
and  fragrant,  borne  on  the  head  of  a  peasant  girl  in 
gay  costume,  attracted  Paolo's  attention  and  aroused 
him  from  the  consideration  of  several  difficult  ques- 
tions. He  purchased  a  small  bunch  for  a  penny  and 
walked  on,  holding  them  in  his  hand. 

The  modest  little  flowers,  in  their  simple  beauty, 
205 


THE    JESUIT 

cheered  and  comforted  him.  As  if  aided  to  a  de- 
cision, he  went  swiftly  toward  Mr.  Pierce's  home, 
and  found  speedy  entrance  into  that  gentleman's 
study. 

"  My  dear  Don  Paolo,"  said  Mr.  Pierce.  "  Come 
in,  I  am  glad  to  see  you." 

As  if  afraid  that  he  might  weaken,  if  he  delayed, 
Paolo  plunged  at  once  into  the  subject  which  was 
so  important  to  him. 

"  I  have  just  come  from  Cardinal  Perotti." 

Mr.  Pierce  raised  his  eyebrows  questioningly. 

"  He  and  Father  Veroni  asked  me  many  things, 
to  which  I  replied  as  truthfully  as  I  could.  It  is 
now  decided,  Signor  Pierce.  I  am  ready  to  leave  the 
priesthood." 

He  drew  a  long  breath. 

"  God  will  surely  bless  you ! "  exclaimed  Mr. 
Pierce,  heartily.  "  What  are  your  plans  ?  " 

"  I  have  none,  sir,  except  to  lay  aside  this  robe." 

"  Is  there  anything  in  the  line  of  work  that  you 
know  how  to  do?  " 

Mr.  Pierce  could  surmise  the  answer  to  this  ques- 
tion. Don  Paolo  was  only  one  of  many  priests  who 
came  to  him,  expressing  a  desire  to  leave  the  Church. 
Some  of  them  wished  the  promise  of  a  comfortable 
support  if  they  resigned  their  clerical  profession, 
and  these  went  away  disappointed.  In  spite  of  re- 
ports to  the  contrary,  the  Protestant  Church  held  out 
no  golden  inducements.  Others  had  private  reasons 
for  forsaking  their  religion ;  they  were  not  on  good 

206 


THE    JESUIT 


terms  with  their  bishops;  they  had  misbehaved  or 
disobeyed,  or  they  wished  to  resign  their  priestly 
office  in  order  to  marry.  Others  were  sincere,  ready 
to  follow  Christ  at  any  cost,  but — they  did  not  know 
how  to  work  at  any  trade  or  business. 

Don  Paolo's  face  grew  grave. 

"  Mr.  Pierce,  I  am  ashamed  to  tell  you  that  I  have 
spent  all  my  life  in  monastery  and  school,  and  while 
I  can  talk  Latin  and  am  well  educated,  having  the 
title  of  Doctor,  I  cannot  work  at  any  trade.  If  you 
will  help  me,  I  will  try  to  learn." 

"  That  is  the  right  spirit.  Have  you  any  private 
means?  " 

"  Only  a  few  hundred  francs  left  me  by  my 
mother  at  her  death.  I  have  an  old  aunt  who  is  very 
poor.  If  I  can  earn  enough  to  support  myself,  I 
should  like  to  give  this  to  her.  She  will  not  need  to 
work  so  hard." 

"  Does  she  approve  of  your  leaving  the  priest- 
hood?" 

"  She  does  not  know  of  my  intention." 

"  And  when  she  knows  ?  " 

"  She  will  curse  the  day  that  I  was  born  into  the 
world  to  become  an  apostate,"  Paolo  replied,  sadly. 

Mr.  Pierce  could  not  deny  this  statement.  He 
was  experienced  in  the  life  of  Rome,  and  had  seen 
and  learned  much  during  the  five  years  of  his  resi- 
dence there.  He  realized  what  it  meant  for  a  man 
to  leave  the  religion  of  his  fathers,  in  a  country 
where  Catholicism  reigned  supreme.  It  meant 

207 


THE    JESUIT 

separation  from  loved  ones,  ostracism  by  all  good 
Roman  Catholics,  and,  very  often,  a  life  of  hard- 
ship. He  remembered  a  morning  when  a  young 
man,  who  had  been  a  priest  but  was  then  studying 
for  the  Protestant  ministry,  came  to  him,  with  tears 
in  his  eyes,  and  showed  him  a  photograph  of  him- 
self, across  which  his  mother  had  written  the  one 
word:  "Traitor!" 

"  She  has  returned  it  to  me,  with  my  unopened 
letters,"  he  said,  "  and  I  shall  never  see  her  again." 

A  man  must  be  a  hero  in  Italy  if  he  has  the 
courage  to  face  the  sorrow,  disgrace,  and  humilia- 
tion which  are  his  lot  as  soon  as  he  becomes  a 
Protestant.  There  are  such  heroes,  and  they  live 
and  die  nobly  and  bravely. 

"  There  is  a  very  small  room  downstairs  behind 
the  church,"  Mr.  Pierce  said,  rousing  himself  from 
these  thoughts.  "  It  contains  nothing  but  a  bed,  a 
chair,  and  a  washstand.  The  ceiling  is  low  and 
there  is  a  small  window,  admitting  little  light. 
It  is  all  I  can  offer  you.  Will  you  accept  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  gladly." 

"  You  may  come  as  soon  as  you  please,  but  you 
know  that  we  require  a  certificate  of  good  conduct 
from  your  bishop.  Can  you  obtain  that  ?  " 

"  Easily,  provided  Cardinal  Perotti  or  Padre 
Veroni  do  not  interfere." 

"  It  would  be  wise  to  attend  to  it  at  once.  One 
more  thing.  Are  you  willing  to  come  to  our  church 
on  Sunday  evening,  and,  wearing  your  priest's  dress 

208 


THE    JESUIT 

for  the  last  time,  speak  to  the  people  and  publicly 
tell  your  experience  and  reasons  for  becoming  an 
evangelical  ?  " 

"  Certainly.  I  am  not  ashamed  of  what  I  have 
done,  nor  am  I  afraid  to  tell  about  it  before  all  the 
people  of  Rome,  even  those  at  the  Vatican." 

These  were  bold  words,  but  were  spoken  with 
such  simplicity  that  they  were  very  impressive,  and 
Mr.  Pierce  felt,  to  a  greater  degree  than  before,  that 
the  priest  would  be  a  power  for  good  among  his 
own  people. 

"  In  the  meantime,"  continued  Don  Paolo,  "  I 
will  make  my  final  arrangements  and  will  seek  for 
work,  although  I  suppose  no  one  will  employ  me  if 
they  see  that  I  am  a  priest." 

Mr.  Pierce  suppressed  a  smile  as  he  noted  the 
scholarly,  cultured  face,  the  delicate  white  hands  of 
this  man  who  had  passed  his  life  in  the  cloisters  of 
a  monastery  and  in  the  college.  But  he  made  no  re- 
mark. Let  him  seek  for  work  and  prove  what  sort 
of  metal  was  in  him.  Many  of  the  priests  desired  to 
study  for  the  ministry  at  once.  Paolo  Gregori  had 
made  no  such  suggestion,  nor  had  he  asked  for 
money. 

There  was  no  difficulty  about  obtaining  the  cer- 
tificate of  good  conduct  from  the  bishop.  Ap- 
parently the  cardinal  and  Father  Veroni  had  not 
considered  the  matter  of  sufficient  importance  to 
warrant  their  interference.  To  be  sure,  the  docu- 
ment was  accompanied  by  a  severe  letter  from  his 

209 


THE    JESUIT 

superior,  condemning  Paolo's  action,  accusing  him 
of  base  motives  for  leaving  the  Church,  and  bewail- 
ing the  liberal  spirit  of  the  times.  Paolo  was  now 
free  to  follow  his  own  inclinations.  He  wrote  a 
very  affectionate  letter  to  his  aunt  on  Saturday 
morning,  and  after  mailing  it  at  a  box  on  the  near- 
est street  corner  he  walked  slowly  to  the  Monastery 
on  the  hillside. 

Try  as  we  will,  we  cannot  altogether  ignore  or 
forget  old  friends  or  early  associations,  even  though 
the  path,  which  opens  before  us,  leads  in  a  totally 
different  direction  toward  a  goal  of  our  own  choos- 
ing. The  monks  in  the  cloisters,  the  roses  in  the 
garden,  the  grape  arbors,  shading  moss-grown 
paths,  even  old  Frou-Frou  on  his  perch  by  the 
kitchen  door,  were  dear  to  Paolo  Gregori.  He  knew 
that  he  should  find  Fra  Antonio  busy  in  the  garden 
this  fine  morning,  preparing  the  ground  for  the  seeds 
of  flowers  and  vegetables.  Yes,  there  he  was,  bend- 
ing laboriously  over  his  task,  sifting  the  earth  in  his 
fingers,  gently  and  carefully,  as  if  he  loved  it.  He 
began  to  grow  old,  did  Fra  Antonio,  and  when  he 
raised  his  head  at  the  sound  of  footsteps,  his  sight 
was  blurred,  and  he  did  not  recognize  "  the  boy  " 
until  he  was  very  close  to  him. 

"  It  is  thou,  Paolo,  at  last ! "  he  exclaimed. 
"  Why  hast  thou  forsaken  thine  old  friend  ?  It  is 
a  long  time  since  thou  wast  here !  We  have  longed 
for  thee." 

"  I  have  been  busy,  dear  Fra  Antonio,"  Paolo 
210 


THE    JESUIT 

replied,  evasively.  "  You  are  tired,  Brother.  Come 
and  sit  down  on  the  bench  and  rest  while  we  talk. 
I  have  something  to  tell  you." 

"  It  is  good  for  old  bones  to  rest  a  while.  The 
work  is  hard,  boy." 

"  But  you  love  it." 

"  Yes.  I  love  it.  I  should  have  come  to  thee,  to 
see  how  the  world  treats  thee,  but  I  hated  to  leave 
my  garden  and  my  flowers." 

"  I  fear  that  you  love  your  garden  and  your 
flowers  better  than  you  do  your  prayers  and  pen- 
ance," responded  Paolo,  mischievously. 

Fra  Antonio  threw  a  quick  glance  at  him  and  then 
lowered  his  eyes  demurely,  making  no  reply. 

The  air  in  the  Monastery  garden  was  redolent 
with  odors  of  spring,  although  snow  lay,  white  and 
glistening,  on  the  summit  of  the  Sabine  Hills,  far 
away  on  the  borders  of  the  Campagna.  Insects, 
heralds  of  warm  weather,  were  buzzing  around  the 
early  blossoms  which  were  already  turning  their 
faces  upward  to  the  sun.  Here,  in  the  garden,  white 
crocuses,  masses  of  blue  violets,  yellow  daffodils  and 
golden-hearted  jonquils  were  already  in  bloom, 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  thee  ?  "  Fra  Antonio 
asked,  suddenly,  laying  his  horny,  brown  hand  on 
Paolo's  white  one.  "  Thou  lookest  pale  and  weary. 
Thou  hast  changed  much  since  that  day  when  I 
gathered  the  grapes  from  yonder  arbor." 

"  And  gave  me  the  smallest  bunch  you  could  find, 
bad  Brother  Antonio !  I  have  come  to  tell  you  some- 

211 


THE    JESUIT 

thing.  Tomorrow  evening,  I  go  to  the  Protestant 
church — you  know  where  the  big  building  is?" 

The  monk  nodded  assent. 

"  And,  for  the  last  time,  I  shall  wear  this  priest's 
gown.  I  am  going  to  become  an  evangelical." 

Holding  his  breath,  Paolo  waited  for  an  outbreak 
of  indignation.  To  his  astonishment,  none  came. 
Fra  Antonio  still  grasped  his  hand,  affectionately, 
and  his  gaze  was  fixed  upon  a  cluster  of  violets 
growing  at  the  foot  of  a  large  rose  tree.  A  strange 
smile  was  on  the  old  monk's  lips.  Finally,  he  turned 
and  his  eyes  met  Paolo's.  There  was  a  smile  in 
his  eyes  also. 

"  It  was  scarcely  necessary  that  thou  shouldest 
tell  me  this.  I  have  known  for  a  long  time  that 
some  conflict  was  taking  place  in  thy  mind.  Even 
as  a  child  thou  wishedst  always  to  know  the  reasons 
for  everything.  The  iron  bands  of  our  Church 
which  hold  us  closely  confined  to  her  decrees  were 
too  tight  for  thee.  Thou  art  not  willing  to  believe 
as  she  says  and  do  as  she  bids,  but  thou  must  find 
out  for  thyself." 

"  Not  exactly  that,"  objected  Paolo. 

Fra  Antonio  continued :  "  Were  I  twenty  years 
younger,  I  would  go  with  thee,  but  now,  it  is  too 
late." 

These  words  were  so  totally  unexpected,  that 
Paolo  was  speechless  with  surprise.  The  idea,  that 
in  the  dull  brain  of  the  monk,  who  seemed  to  know 
little  except  his  gardening  and  pruning,  there  had 

212 


THE    JESUIT 

been  doubts  and  uncertainties,  was  a  new  one  to 
him. 

"  It  will  not  be  possible  for  thee  to  come  and  see 
me  again,  Paolo,  but  I  will  come  to  thee." 

"  And  leave  your  garden  and  flowers,  Brother  ?  " 

"  Yes,  for  love  of  thee." 

There  were  tears  now  in  the  monk's  eyes. 

Paolo  put  his  arm  around  him. 

"  Come  out  into  the  world  with  me,  Brother 
Antonio.  I  will  work  for  us  both." 

"  I  dare  not  leave  the  Monastery.  I  am  an  old 
man  and  my  heart  is  here  with  my  flowers.  Thou 
wilt  work,  thou  sayest,  out  in  the  wide  world? 
I  fear  thou  wilt  starve,  my  boy!  What  canst  thou 
do  for  a  living?  " 

"Little,  I  fear;  but  I  will  try  to  learn.  Why 
didn't  you  teach  me  the  gardening  trade,  Fra 
Antonio?  Then  I  might  be  a  useful  workingman." 

Fra  Antonio  laughed. 

"  Because  thou  lovedst  thy  books  better  than  my 
flowers  and  vegetables.  Thou  art  a  scholar,  and  I, 
a  gardener.  Each  has  his  place,  and  thou  wilt  find 
thy  work  out  yonder,  but  it  will  not  be  digging  or 
planting.  Thou  wast  surprised  that  I  showed  so 
little  astonishment  when  thou  didst  tell  me  thy 
secret.  We  have  ours,  too,  in  the  Monastery." 

Very  cautiously,  and  with  many  a  glance  around 
him  to  see  whether  he  was  being  watched  by  any 
of  the  monks,  Fra  Antonio  drew  a  folded  newspaper 
from  a  big  pocket  beneath  his  coarse  brown  frock 

213 


THE    JESUIT 

and  handed  it  to  Paolo.    Opening  it,  the  heading  in 
large  letters,  "  L'Evangelista,"  was  plainly  visible. 

"  It  is  one  of  the  Protestant  newspapers !  "  ex- 
claimed Paolo.  "  Where  did  you  get  it  ?  " 

"  Did  I  not  tell  thee  that  we,  too,  have  our 
secrets  ?  " 

"  Where  did  you  get  it?  "  repeated  Paolo. 

"  Thou  willst  not  tell  ?  "  The  monk's  tone  was 
questioning  and  doubtful. 

"  Of  course  not." 

"  Fra  Silvestro  has  a  brother  who  was  a  Fran- 
ciscan friar — not  in  this  Monastery — but  who  be- 
came an  evangelical  and  is  now  a  minister.  A  friend 
of  his  gives  Fra  Silvestro  the  paper  every  week.  We 
pass  it  around  from  one  to  the  other  of  the  monks 
who  are  to  be  trusted." 

"  It  is  dangerous.  Suppose  the  Superior  should 
find  it  out." 

Fra  Antonio  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  That  is  a  possibility  at  any  moment.  Since  his 
brother  left  the  Monastery,  Fra  Silvestro  has  been 
somewhat  under  suspicion." 

"  I  will  provide  you  with  more  good  reading  mat- 
ter, Fra  Antonio.  But  the  sun  is  setting  and  I  must 
go.  The  Abbot  will  not  invite  me  to  remain  to  sup- 
per tonight." 

"  He  does  not  know  what  you  intend  to  do." 

"  I  am  not  so  sure  about  that.  What  Padre 
Veroni  knows  about  me,  he  has  probably  told  the 
Abbot.  I  am  under  the  ban." 

214 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Is  Padre  Veroni  very  angry  with  thee  ?  " 

"  He  is  grieved  and  hurt.  However,  he  will  soon 
forget  so  humble  a  person  as  Paolo  Gregori." 

"  Addio,"  said  the  monk ;  "  I  will  come  to  see  thee, 
but  thou  must  send  me  word  where  to  find  thee." 

"I  will  do  so,"  replied  Paolo.  "Addio,  Fra 
Antonio." 

The  old  monk  shook  his  head  slowly  when  he  was 
alone.  "  Padre  Veroni  does  not  forget  easily/'  he 
muttered,  "  but  in  the  midst  of  his  great  schemes  he 
may  let  little  grievances  go  unremembered." 


215 


CHAPTER  XIX 

SIR  JOHN  HAMILTON  accompanied  Janet  to  the 
Protestant  church  on  the  Sunday  evening  when  Don 
Paolo  was  to  speak  to  the  people  and  wear  his  black 
robes  for  the  last  time.  The  hall  was  already  full 
when  they  entered  it,  and  it  was  difficult  for  them 
to  find  a  seat.  It  was  not  an  unusual  occurrence  for 
a  priest  to  leave  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  or  for 
him  to  speak  publicly  in  this  edifice,  but  in  the  case 
of  Paolo  Gregori,  the  interest  was  accentuated  by  the 
fact  that  he  had  already  gained  considerable  reputa- 
tion as  a  preacher,  and  that  he  was  a  canon  of  one 
of  the  largest  churches  in  Rome. 

Don  Paolo's  face  was  very  pale  and  his  hands 
trembled.  It  was  a  crucial  moment  for  him,  and, 
notwithstanding  his  sincere  conviction  that  he  was 
doing  right,  and  his  absolute  willingness  to  make  a 
public  statement,  he  was  nervous.  This  feeling  left 
him,  however,  when  he  arose  to  address  the  large 
audience.  People  were  coming  in  from  the  street, 
for  the  service  was  held  at  an  hour  when  many 
pedestrians  were  passing  by,  and  when  they  saw  a 
priest  in  the  pulpit  they  pushed  up  toward  the  front, 
until  the  aisles  were  crowded  with  interested  listen- 
ers. An  Italian  congregation  is  frequently  com- 
posed of  restless,  moving  men  and  women ;  tonight 
they  were  quiet,  held  by  the  spell  of  a  powerful 

216 


THE     JESUIT 

orator,  who  spoke  words  which  came  directly  from 
his  heart.  There  was  no  abuse  of  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic Church,  no  condemnation  of  its  doctrines,  except 
when  necessary  to  explain  his  own  position.  Paolo 
Gregori  told  the  simple  story  of  his  conversion,  of 
the  wonderful  manner  in  which  he  had  been  led  to 
know  the  Saviour,  not  through  forms  and  cere- 
monies, not  through  the  mass,  but  through  God's 
Holy  Spirit  working  upon  his  heart.  He  had  real- 
ized that  Christ  died  for  him,  a  sinner,  and  by 
direct  access  to  his  Lord,  through  prayer,  he  had 
obtained  forgiveness  of  his  sins. 

All  this  he  narrated  in  such  simple,  yet  eloquent 
language,  that  the  hundreds  of  listeners  remained, 
spellbound,  until  the  last  word  had  been  spoken,  and, 
at  the  close,  they  silently  left  the  church. 

That  night  Paolo  Gregori,  no  longer  a  priest, 
knelt  beside  his  plain  iron  bed  in  a  humbler  room 
than  the  cell  which  he  had  occupied  in  the  Mon- 
astery. His  soul  was  full  of  peace,  even  though  a 
strange  and,  perhaps,  precarious  future  lay  before 
him.  He  did  not  know  what  difficulties  he  might 
have  to  confront.  God's  peace  was  his,  and  he  in- 
tended to  go  bravely  forward. 

Folding  his  priest's  garments,  he  laid  them  aside, 
and  in  the  morning,  dressed  in  plain  clothes,  for  the 
first  time  since  he  was  a  boy,  he  went  out  into  the 
streets,  to  seek  work  which  would  keep  him  from 
starving. 

'  That  young  man  is  a  remarkable  speaker,"  said 
217 


THE    JESUIT 

Sir  John,  as  he  and  Janet  walked  back  to  the 
pension. 

"  I  could  not  understand  much  of  what  he  said, 
but  it  must  have  been  impressive  or  the  people  would 
not  have  listened  so  well.  I  noticed  several  men  who 
nodded  their  heads  approvingly  at  some  of  his 
statements.  And  there  was  only  one  man  who 
hissed." 

"  Yes.  Those  who  sat  near  him  frowned  him 
down.  I  can  never  get  over  wondering  why  people 
here  in  Rome  listen  so  quietly  to  such  an  address 
as  that.  In  England  or  America,  it  would  almost 
be  thought  necessary  to  call  in  a  guard  of  police  on 
such  an  occasion,  for  fear  of  a  hostile  demonstra- 
tion. But  here  in  Rome,  in  the  very  heart  of  Cathol- 
icism, one  hears  scarcely  a  murmur  of  disapproval; 
and  it  is  not  necessary  to  get  the  young  priest  out 
safely  by  a  back  door.  I  like  that  fellow.  He  is 
sincere.  I  must  ask  Pierce  what  I  can  do  to  help 
him.  Perhaps  he  does  not  realize  what  an  uphill 
life  he  will  have  here.  To  tell  the  truth,  Miss 
Lapeer,  I  admire  their  courage  immensely  when 
they  leave  the  priesthood.  They  fight  against  tre- 
mendous odds.  The  Church  is  very  powerful  and 
controls  many  branches  of  business,  as  well  as  pretty 
nearly  everything  else,  except  the  government,  and, 
in  regard  to  that,  the  Vatican  party  is  only  biding 
its  time." 

"  Yes,"  said  Janet. 

Sir  John  noticed  the  tone  of  weariness  and  un- 
218 


THE    JESUIT 

derstood  it  so  well  that  he  stopped  talking  and  con- 
tented himself  by  showing  his  sympathy  in  that  way. 

Fay  had  now  openly  joined  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  and  Janet  felt  that  the  inevitable  separation 
between  the  sister,  whom  she  so  dearly  loved,  and 
herself,  had  already  begun.  She  had  made  every 
effort  to  hide  her  sorrow  when  Fay,  evidently  very 
nervous,  had  told  her  of  her  intentions. 

Janet  had  endeavored  to  sympathize  as  much  as 
possible  with  her  sister's  views.  How  Fay  could 
change  her  faith,  Janet,  with  her  nature,  could  not 
understand.  If,  however,  Fay  felt  that  she  was 
doing  right,  she  would  not  argue  the  question,  but 
would  accept  the  situation,  much  as  it  pained  her. 
With  the  hope  that,  after  all,  they  might  not  be 
separated  in  their  love  for  each  other,  even  though 
their  religious  views  were  so  different,  Janet  ac- 
companied her  mother  to  the  little  church  where  Fay 
was  rebaptized  in  the  Roman  Catholic  faith. 

Mrs.  Lapeer  remained  placid  under  these  new  cir- 
cumstances, and  seemed  to  consider  Fay's  change 
of  religion  a  necessary  part  of  her  marriage  to  the 
marquis. 

Strange  to  say,  it  was  her  future  husband  who 
made  the  most  serious  objection  to  her  conversion. 
He  told  Fay  plainly  that,  as  far  as  he  was  con- 
cerned, although  he  was  a  Roman  Catholic  by  bap- 
tism, and  would  probably  have  the  last  sacraments 
administered  in  case  he  was  near  death,  "  as  a  mat- 
ter of  precaution,"  he  added,  smiling  satirically,  he 

219 


THE    JESUIT 

had  not  the  slightest  objection  to  marrying  a  Prot- 
estant ;  in  fact,  rather  preferred  it,  for  reasons  of  his 
own.  She  need  not  trouble  to  change  her  faith  on 
his  account. 

When  Fay  assured  him  that  she  was  not  taking 
this  step  on  his  account,  but  because  she  wanted  to, 
the  marquis  shrugged  his  shoulders,  twisted  his 
moustache  nervously,  and  told  her  that  she  was,  of 
course,  at  liberty  to  worship  God  as  she  preferred. 

Sir  John  knew,  as  well  as  Janet  did,  that  his  sister 
was  responsible  for  much  of  this  change  of  view; 
her  influence  over  Fay  had  been  unusual.  When 
the  big  man  from  the  ranch  in  California  first 
learned  that  Fay  was  to  be  rebaptized  as  a  Roman 
Catholic  he  put  on  his  hat  and  fled  to  his  customary 
place  of  refuge,  the  broad  and  lonely  Campagna, 
where  he  could  work  off  his  excitement  in  walking 
very  fast,  imagining  himself  to  be  on  a  prairie  which 
he  loved  out  in  the  far  West.  His  anger  was  not 
directed  against  his  sister ;  he  considered  her  to  be  a 
mere  tool  in  the  hands  of  a  priest  who  was  wily, 
powerful  and  accomplished  in  the  knowledge  of 
human  nature  and  its  weaknesses.  Lady  Eger  was 
failing,  slowly,  surely,  and  her  condition  aroused 
Fay's  deep  sympathy.  She  spent  hours  in  the  in- 
valid's room,  and  on  sunny,  warm  days  they  drove 
out  together,  going  frequently  to  the  convent  where 
Floria  di  Cassini  was,  or  to  other  convents  which 
Lady  Eger  loved  to  visit. 

The  marquis  urged  a  speedy  marriage,  but,  to  the 
220 


THE    JESUIT 

surprise  of  Mrs.  Lapeer  and  Janet,  and  in  spite  of 
her  mother's  remonstrances,  Fay  refused  to  consider 
any  fixed  date.  There  was  no  sign  that  she  re- 
gretted her  engagement,  for  it  was  very  evident  that 
she  dearly  loved  the  man  whom  she  was  to  marry. 

On  closer  acquaintance,  Janet  had  grown  to  re- 
spect the  marquis  more  and  more.  He  had  proved 
himself  to  be  a  nobleman  in  more  than  name,  a  man 
of  strong  character,  firm  will  and  profound  convic- 
tions. Janet  felt  that  since  this  union  had  come 
about  so  naturally,  it  must  be  right.  She  wondered 
at  Fay's  hesitation  in  regard  to  the  date  of  the  mar- 
riage, which  was  to  take  place,  according  to  the 
general  consent,  during  the  spring  months. 

Lent  began  late  that  year,  and  after  a  series  of 
carnival  festivities,  of  late  hours  and  much  gayety, 
Fay  devoted  herself,  with  the  zeal  of  a  young  con- 
vert, to  prayer  and  fasting.  Hour  after  hour  she 
passed  in  Lady  Eger's  quiet  room,  which  the  invalid 
rarely  left  now.  Twice  a  week  she  went  to  the  con- 
vent where  Floria  was  preparing  for  the  final  taking 
of  the  veil,  which  would  divide  her  forever  from 
her  family  and  the  world.  The  American  girl  in- 
variably returned  from  these  visits  in  an  absorbed, 
dreamy  frame  of  mind,  and  they  were  followed  by 
long  fasting  and  nightly  devotions,  which  lasted 
until  dawn  lightened  the  eastern  sky  with  its  mystic 
glow.  Several  times  Romilda  found  her  lying  in  a 
faint  on  the  floor  in  front  of  the  crucifix,  fastened 
to  the  wall  over  a  priedieu. 

221 


THE    JESUIT 

The  maid  gently  lifted  her  young  mistress  and, 
laying  her  on  the  bed,  called  Janet.  Together,  they 
gave  her  restoratives  until  the  beautiful  dark  blue 
eyes,  which  the  marquis  compared  to  Roman  violets, 
opened,  and  she  threw  her  arms  around  Janet's 
neck. 

It  was  after  such  occurrences  as  these  that 
Romilda  would  go  about  for  hours  with  a  sullen 
face,  and  was  heard  to  mutter  words  about 
"  priests  "  and  "  foolishness  "  and  "  killing  Miss 
Fay."  Romilda  was  warm-hearted  and  affectionate, 
so  grateful  for  the  money  which  had  effected  her 
escape  from  a  life  which  she  detested,  that  she  would 
have  made  any  sacrifice  for  Janet  or  Fay. 

Romilda  became  so  disturbed  at  last  that  she  sum- 
moned up  courage  to  meet  the  marquis  in  the  hall 
one  evening  when  he  came.  Nervously  twisting  her 
apron,  and  with  cheeks  that  burned  with  fear  be- 
cause of  her  temerity  in  addressing  him,  she  told 
him  the  truth,  how  Miss  Fay  was  growing  thin 
from  her  long  prayers  and  loss  of  sleep. 

Very  much  troubled  by  this  information,  the  mar- 
quis thanked  Romilda,  putting  a  piece  of  silver  into 
her  hands  which  brought  a  smile  to  her  face,  and 
entered  Mrs.  Lapeer's  private  parlor.  Sir  John  was 
translating  an  editorial  in  the  evening  paper,  and  the 
marquis  motioned  him  to  continue,,  seating  himself 
after  a  silent  greeting  to  the  three  ladies.  His  in- 
terest was  aroused  when  he  found  that  it  referred 
to  the  bill  concerning  Saint  Joseph's  College  at 

222 


THE    JESUIT 

V — .  This  bill  was  soon  to  come  up  before  Parlia- 
ment and  it  had  already  aroused  a  great  deal  of  dis- 
cussion in  the  press. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  it?  "  inquired  Sir  John, 
when  he  had  finished  reading.  "  Of  course,  this  is  a 
Liberal  paper  and  this  editorial  is  written  from  that 
standpoint." 

"  And  for  that  reason  must  be  prejudiced,"  inter- 
rupted Fay. 

The  marquis  smiled  at  her  enthusiasm  and  re- 
plied: "I  think  it  is  a  fair  and  just  statement. 
There  is  no  more  reason  why  the  government  should 
consent  to  favor  this  bill  for  Saint  Joseph's  School 
than  for  many  other  such  institutions  now  main- 
tained by  the  Church  in  Italy.  It  is  a  precedent,  and 
ought  not  to  be  passed." 

"  Then  you  will  vote  against  it  ?  "  said  Sir  John, 
looking  at  the  marquis  with  some  curiosity. 

"  Such  is  my  intention.  By  the  way,  it  is  very 
probable  that  the  bill  will  come  up  on  Thursday 
afternoon.  Would  you  enjoy  hearing  the  debate?  " 

"  I  should  be  greatly  interested." 

"And  the  ladies  also?" 

Janet  replied  that  she  would  like  very  much  to 

go- 
Noticing  that  Fay  had  left  the  room,  the  marquis 
followed  her  into  a  small  library,  not  hearing  the 
words  which  Sir  John  spoke  to  Janet  in  an  under- 
tone :   "  I  can't  help  liking  him !    He  is  a  man." 
Fay  was  standing  at  the  window,  looking  out  into 
223 


THE    JESUIT 

the  dark  street  with  eyes  which  saw  nothing.  At 
the  sound  of  footsteps  she  turned  and  Guido  was 
startled  to  see  that  she  had  been  weeping. 

"  Fay,"  he  said,  tenderly,  "  what  is  the  matter, 
darling?  Why  do  you  cry  ?" 

"  Guido,"  she  replied,  laying  her  hand  on  his  arm, 
"  promise  me  something.  I  have  asked  few  favors 
from  you." 

"  If  it  is  in  my  power,  I  will  gladly  do  what  you 
wish." 

"  Please  vote  in  favor  of  that  bill  on  Thursday." 

He  gazed  at  her  in  astonishment.  What  possible 
interest  could  Fay  Lapeer  have  in  a  bill  which  con- 
cerned Saint  Joseph's  College  at  V — ?  It  seemed 
so  absurd  that  he  smiled. 

"Is  that  what  your  heart  is  set  on,  dear?  Are 
these  tears  for  Saint  Joseph's  College?  Dear  Fay, 
it  is  a  question  more  important  than  you  think,  for 
you  know  little  of  our  politics  here  in  Italy.  Believe 
me,  I  do  not  want  you  to  enter  into  such  matters. 
Leave  it  to  us,  and  occupy  your  mind  with  pretty 
clothes  and  books  and  flowers.  They  are  more  suit- 
able than  politics  for  a  beautiful  woman." 

"  You  will  not  vote  against  it,  Guido,"  she  per- 
sisted, ignoring  his  jesting  words.  "  For  my  sake, 
you  will  not.  I  plead  with  you.  I  feel  that  such  an 
action  will  bring  disaster  and  trouble  upon  us." 

"  You  are  overwrought,"  he  responded.  "  Sit 
down  here  and  let  us  talk  it  over.  Were  you  up 
all  night,  praying?  You  will  kill  yourself,  at  this 

224 


THE    JESUIT 

rate.  Even  my  mother,  who  is  as  ardent  a  Catholic 
as  one  can  find  in  Rome,  does  not  exhaust  her 
strength  by  these  long  vigils.  Be  as  religious  as  you 
please — it  is  necessary  for  you  women  to  have  a 
faith  to  lean  upon — but  do  not  injure  your  health." 

She  sat  down  on  the  sofa,  and  allowed  him  to  ar- 
range some  pillows  that  she  might  be  more  com- 
fortable. All  the  time  her  eyes  were  centered  plead- 
ingly on  his  face.  It  distressed  him  to  see  that  she 
was  terribly  in  earnest. 

"  You  will  favor  the  bill,  Guido,"  she  repeated. 
"  It  will  be  for  our  happiness.  I  feel  it ;  I  know  it." 

"  Do  you  wish  me  to  act  against  my  convictions, 
dear  Fay?  "  Guido  was  serious  now,  as  he  observed 
that  she  was  deeply  moved  for  some  reason  which 
he  could  not  understand. 

She  hesitated.  "  If  it  is  for  the  advantage  of  the 
Church,"  Fay  replied,  speaking  very  slowly. 

The  marquis  could  scarcely  restrain  a  movement 
of  impatience.  All  his  life  he  had  been  under  the 
yoke  of  the  Church ;  his  mother  regarded  that  as  the 
end  and  aim  of  every  action.  Whatever  was  for  the 
advancement  of  the  Church  must  be  done,  no  matter 
what  one's  own  personal  views  were.  Floria  must 
be  laid  as  a  sacrifice  on  the  altar  of  the  Church. 
He  must  be  a  mere  puppet  in  the  hands  of  the 
priests,  must  think  as  they  thought,  vote  as  they  dic- 
tated. A  feeling  of  great  uneasiness  possessed  him. 
He  was  to  marry  an  American  girl,  but  she,  too, 
would  look  to  the  Church  and  priests  for  guidance. 

225 


THE    JESUIT 

He  could  not  be  master  in  his  own  household;  the 
priest  would  be  first,  and  at  the  confessional  all  the 
private  affairs  of  his  family  would  be  disclosed.  His 
wife  would  act  as  the  confessor  advised  her  to. 

Rising,  he  paced  the  floor,  rapidly.  He  loved 
Fay,  and  through  his  love  he  would  guard  and  keep 
her,  poor  child! 

Coming  to  her  side,  he  looked  down  at  her  and 
spoke  very  gently. 

"  Fay,  dear,  you  must  leave  this  and  many  other 
things  to  me.  My  conscience  and  not  the  Church 
must  govern  my  actions." 

When  the  marquis  left  her  Fay  was  calm,  but  he 
was  disturbed  in  mind  and  preferred  to  walk  home 
in  the  cool  air,  that  he  might  think  of  her  words  and 
strange  interest  in  this  bill.  There  must  be  a  reason 
for  her  excitement  and  anxiety.  In  Rome,  there 
were  always  wheels  within  wheels.  Someone  must 
be  behind  all  this.  Could  it  be  Lady  Eger?  That 
seemed  impossible.  The  last  time  he  had  seen  her 
she  had  been  too  weak  and  ill  to  concern  herself  in 
Saint  Joseph's  College. 

He  acknowledged  the  respectful  salutation  of  the 
porter  at  the  entrance  to  his  own  home  and  went 
with  weary  tread  to  his  library  in  the  wing  of  the 
palace. 

Seated  at  his  desk,  he  drew  toward  him  a  file  of 
letters  and  documents ;  then  pushing  them  aside,  he 
leaned  his  head  on  his  hand  and  thought,  seriously. 
Who  could  be  intimidating  Fay? 

226 


THE     JESUIT 

Suddenly  he  remembered.  In  that  chair,  yonder, 
Father  Veroni  had  sat,  his  face  as  calm  as  an  ivory 
carving,  his  long,  white  hands  resting  on  the  grif- 
fins' heads  which  ornamented  the  arms.  The  priest 
had  urged  him  to  vote  for  the  bill,  had  spoken  sig- 
nificantly of  Fay,  and  had  also  given  a  half-veiled 
threat  as  he  left. 

"What  deviltry  is  he  up  to?"  queried  the  mar- 
quis, with  an  irreverence  which  would  have  shocked 
his  mother.  "  He  is  playing  a  deep  game,  with  Fay, 
little  Fay,  as  a  pawn  in  his  skilled  fingers.  She 
shall  marry  me  at  once  and  I  will  protect  her  from 
him  and  others  of  his  kind.  By  Heaven  I  will! " 

Bold  as  the  words  were,  the  marquis  felt  a  sink- 
ing fear  at  his  heart.  Could  he  hope  to  cope  with 
such  a  man  as  Father  Veroni  ? 

"  I  will  vote  against  that  bill,"  he  murmured, 
setting  his  teeth  stubbornly ;  "  I  will  marry  Fay 
Lapeer,  and  I  will  win  the  game  yet." 

If  he  could  have  seen  Fay  Lapeer  at  that  moment, 
his  heart  would  have  bled  with  sorrow  and  anxiety. 
Before  her  crucifix  she  lay,  prostrate,  her  arms 
thrown  out  above  her  head,  her  whole  attitude  one 
of  despair  and  supplication. 

"  O  Christ !  save  him  from  his  sins ! "  she 
prayed.  "  O  Mary,  Mother  of  God !  shed  thy  love 
around  him  and  draw  him  back  to  the  Church.  If 
it  must  be  through  me,  if  I  must  atone  for  him,  in 
order  that  he  may  be  saved,  give  me  strength  for  the 
sacrifice  and  help  me  to  bear  it." 

227 


THE    JESUIT 

Fay,  the  light-hearted,  almost  frivolous  girl,  had 
become  the  clay  in  the  potter's  hands,  and  her  char- 
acter was  being  formed  as  he  willed.  Pliable,  gentle, 
yielding,  she  was  easily  influenced  to  believe  that 
her  lover's  salvation  depended  upon  her.  There 
was  also  a  strain  of  stubbornness  in  her  character, 
which  enabled  her  to  continue  in  a  certain  course  of 
action  if  she  was  thoroughly  convinced  that  she 
ought  to  do  so. 

It  was  a  very  determined  man  who  insisted  the 
next  day  that  Fay  should  fix  the  date  of  their  mar- 
riage for  the  week  after  Easter.  He  found  her 
sweet,  gentle,  with  dark  rings  under  her  eyes,  tell- 
ing of  the  long  night's  prayers,  but  as  unyielding 
as  ever. 

"  Be  patient  a  little  longer,  Guido.  That  which 
you  ask,  I  cannot  grant.  I  promise,  however,  that 
on  Easter  Sunday,  I  will  give  you  a  positive  an- 
swer." With  that  reply  he  was  forced  to  be  content. 

On  Thursday  afternoon,  Fay  Lapeer  entered 
Lady  Eger's  room,  where  the  invalid  lay  in  a  re- 
clining chair.  She  looked  out  upon  the  world  now 
with  eyes  which  had  in  them  the  dawning  light  of 
eternity. 

"  You  are  going  to  Parliament  this  afternoon, 
Fay?" 

"  Yes.  Guido  will  vote  against  the  bill,  Hor- 
tense." 

Lady  Eger's  face  flushed  quickly,  with  excite- 
ment, but  she  made  no  reply.  A  strange  look  passed 

228 


THE    JESUIT 

between  the  two  women.  It  told  of  confidences  and 
fears,  of  dread  and  longing. 

Fay  closed  the  door  softly  and  went  down  to  join 
Janet  and  Sir  John.  Lady  Eger  lay  very  still,  alone. 
Fay  had  been  to  her  a  lovely  vision  of  young  life. 
Dressed  in  a  well-fitting  gown  of  dark  blue  cloth, 
wearing  a  large  hat  from  which  two  costly  plumes 
fell  gracefully  over  her  fair  hair,  with  a  face  full  of 
beauty  and  gentleness,  she  seemed  to  stand  at  the 
threshold  of  a  happy  and  prosperous  future. 

Lady  Eger  shivered  as  if  she  were  cold,  and  drew 
the  coverlet  closer  around  her.  Raising  an  ivory 
rosary  to  her  lips,  she  kissed  it,  closed  her  eyes 
in  devotion  and  began  to  tell  her  beads. 

The  Parliament  House  was  full  this  afternoon. 
A  very  large  proportion  of  the  Deputies  were  present 
and  the  boxes  in  the  galleries  were  crowded  with 
ladies  and  gentlemen.  There  were  murmurs  of 
pleasant  voices,  a  hum  of  liquid,  musical  Italian, 
and  a  general  air  of  excitement  as  the  discussion  of 
the  bill  concerning  Saint  Joseph's  College  at  V — 
was  opened. 

Italians  are  very  frank  in  expressing  their  opinion 
on  political  questions,  and  Sir  John  soon  observed 
that  the  persons  near  him  were  divided  between  the 
two  parties,  Clerical  and  Liberal.  Expressions  of 
disapproval  were  not  lacking  when  the  Deputy  who 
was  speaking  said  something  objectionable  to  one 
party  or  the  other. 

Marquis  di  Cassini  glanced  up  at  the  box  where 
229 


THE    JESUIT 

Fay  sat,  and  there  was  an  appeal  in  the  look.  It  is 
not  easy  for  a  man  to  refuse  the  woman  he  loves 
the  first  favor  she  asks,  or  to  deliberately  oppose  her 
wishes.  He  rose,  and  boldly,  eloquently,  opposed 
the  passage  of  the  bill.  Fay  had  never  been  so 
proud  of  him  as  she  was  at  that  moment,  when  he 
was  speaking  against  that  which  she  had  reasons  for 
desiring.  He  was  doing  what  he  thought  to  be 
right,  and  Fay  would  not  have  been  a  true  woman 
if  she  had  not  respected  him  more  for  adhering 
to  his  own  opinion.  But  O !  he  did  not  know  what 
this  meant  for  her — for  them  both! 

It  was  said,  afterward,  that  such  a  fine  and  telling 
speech  was  seldom  heard  in  the  Chamber  of  Depu- 
ties. The  members  of  the  Clerical  party  tried  in 
every  way  to  confuse  and  stop  the  marquis,  but  un- 
successfully. He  carried  himself  with  dignity,  spoke 
with  grace  and  propriety,  and  won  the  day. 

Sir  John  reached  over  and  shook  hands  with  Fay. 
"  I  congratulate  you,  as  well  as  the  marquis,"  he 
said,  cordially.  "  He  has  a  brilliant  political  career 
before  him." 

To  his  surprise,  he  saw  that  she  was  very  pale 
and  trembled. 

"Your  sister  is  tired.  Shall  we  go?"  he  asked 
Janet,  who  replied :  "  Certainly.  I  am  ready." 

But  Fay  insisted  upon  remaining  until  the  vote 
was  taken.  It  was  unfavorable,  the  bill  being  de- 
feated by  a  large  majority. 

In  the  box,  near  Sir  John,  sat  a  young  man  who 
230 


THE    JESUIT 

appeared  to  be  unusually  interested  in  the  marquis 
and  his  speech,  as  well  as  in  the  results  of  the  vote. 
He  was  an  exceedingly  spruce  young  man,  with 
waxed  moustaches,  and  black  hair  brushed  to  satin 
smoothness.  He  took  full  notes  of  the  marquis' 
speech  and  also  put  down  the  figures  of  the  vote.  As 
soon  as  that  was  over  he  took  his  hat,  bowed  pro- 
foundly to  the  ladies,  and  departed. 

"  A  reporter,  probably,"  suggested  Janet. 

"  Very  likely,"  responded  Sir  John,  as  they,  too, 
joined  many  others  who  were  now  leaving  the  Par- 
liament building. 

Yes,  the  spruce  young  man  was  a  reporter,  but 
not  on  the  staff  of  a  daily  newspaper.  He  lost  no 
time  in  arriving  at  Cardinal's  Perotti's  apartment, 
presenting  himself  at  the  door  opening  on  a  broad 
terrace,  or  porch,  whose  floor  was  paved  with 
majolica  tiles,  and  whose  stone  balustrade  was 
adorned  with  century  plants  and  small  palms.  This 
terrace  overlooked  a  large,  shady  garden. 

Cardinal  Perotti  sat  by  a  table,  on  which  were 
two  flasks  of  wine,  one  white  and  one  red.  Near 
him  was  Father  Veroni.  In  the  afternoon  light,  the 
priest's  face  was  more  waxlike  than  ever,  his  regu- 
lar features  appeared  more  delicate  and  accentuated. 

"  Enrico!  "  said  the  cardinal. 

"  I  am  here,  Eminenza,"  replied  his  secretary. 

"  The  vote  is  taken  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Eminenza." 

"  Let  me  see  your  notes." 
231 


THE    JESUIT 

The  secretary  laid  before  the  cardinal  the  paper 
on  which  he  had  written  the  figures. 

"  It  is  unfavorable,"  the  cardinal  remarked  to 
Father  Veroni. 

The  priest  poured  some  red  wine  into  a  glass  and 
drank  it,  with  deliberation. 

"  Is  that  all,  Enrico  ?    If  so,  you  may  retire." 

Even  the  waxed  ends  of  the  secretary's  mous- 
tache quivered  with  excitement  as  he  replied :  "  It 
is  not  all.  I  have  here  the  notes  of  the  main  points 
in  the  speech  made  by  Marquis  di  Cassini." 

Father  Veroni  set  his  glass  very  gently  on  the 
table.  So,  Guido  had  made  a  speech.  Bold  and 
stubborn  boy! 

"  It  was  the  success  of  the  day  and  influenced  the 
vote,"  added  Enrico.  His  sharp  eyes  could  not 
detect  any  special  sign  of  interest  in  his  news.  It 
was  a  disappointment. 

"  You  may  go,  Enrico,  and  thank  you." 

"  It  is  a  sign  of  the  times,"  the  cardinal  added,  to 
Father  Veroni,  who  again  sipped  his  wine  with  the 
enjoyment  of  an  epicure. 

"  This  is  a  fine  brand,"  he  remarked. 

"  From  my  own  vineyards  in  Tuscany,"  replied 
the  cardinal.  "  What  are  you  going  to  do  now,  my 
friend?" 

"  I  must  keep  an  appointment  for  six  o'clock," 
Father  Veroni  said,  blandly. 

"  You  know  that  I  do  not  mean  that.  What  is 
the  next  step  after  this  ?  " 

232 


THE    JESUIT 

"  I  do  not  exactly  know,  your  Eminence.  Good- 
by." 

The  cardinal  laughed  when  the  door  closed  be- 
hind his  guest. 

Half  an  hour  later,  Father  Veroni  entered  Lady 
Eger's  room.  This  was  the  appointment  he  had 
mentioned  to  the  cardinal  and  a  very  important 
one  it  was  to  Father  Veroni. 


CHAPTER  XX 

IT  was  Easter  morning  in  Rome!  Roses,  lilies, 
violets,  pansies — a  glorious  confusion  of  color  on 
the  Spanish  Stairs,  odors  of  blossoms  from  gardens 
hidden  behind  gray  walls,  over  which  stray  branches 
drooped  to  offer  temptation  to  the  passer-by ;  orange 
groves,  whose  glossy-leaved  trees  were  laden  with 
golden  fruit  and  blooms  of  overpowering  fragrance ; 
fountains  playing  merrily  in  sunlight  which  changed 
the  falling  drops  to  broken  jewels  of  many  hues; 
this  was  Rome  at  Easter. 

Janet  awoke  with  a  feeling  of  great  joy.  All  was 
gladness  about  her.  Church  bells  were  ringing 
cheerily,  a  contrast  to  the  silence  since  Good  Friday 
when  they  had  no  longer  been  rung  anywhere  in 
Rome.  She  rose  and  dressed,  accompanying  her 
mother  to  service,  where  Mr.  Pierce  preached  an 
excellent  sermon  to  an  audience  sadly  diminished 
because  of  the  fine  music  to  be  heard  at  Saint  John 
Lateran  and  Saint  Peter's.  There  were  tall  ma- 
donna lilies  in  front  of  the  pulpit,  and  extra  music 
was  provided.  It  was  a  restful,  pleasant  service  and 
Janet  returned  home  even  happier  than  when  she 
left  it. 

Marquis  di  Cassini  was  also  very  happy  on  this 
Easter  Day.  Fay  had  been  "  in  retreat "  in  a  con- 
vent for  two  weeks.  She  had  felt  it  her  duty  to 

234 


THE    JESUIT 

separate  herself  from  the  world  during-  Passion 
Week,  in  order  that  her  mind  might  dwell  entirely 
upon  spiritual  things.  On  the  afternoon  of  Easter 
Sunday,  she  was  to  return  to  her  mother  and  sister. 
The  marquis,  not  having  written  to  her  or  heard 
from  her  for  two  long  weeks,  was  eager  to  see  her 
again.  His  mother  and  sisters  went  dutifully  to 
mass,  but  he  entered  his  motor  car  and  took  a  long 
spin  outside  the  walls,  the  brightness  and  cheer,  the 
flowers  and  warmth  adding  to  his  happiness.  This 
afternoon  Fay  would  tell  him  what  she  had  decided 
about  the  date  of  their  wedding;  she  had  promised 
to  do  this  on  Easter  Day. 

Preparations  were  already  being  made  for  the  re- 
ception of  the  bride.  Hundreds  of  workmen  were 
busy  repairing,  renovating,  and  decorating  a  large, 
handsome  apartment  on  the  main  floor  of  the  Cas- 
sini  Palace.  New  draperies,  new  furniture  had  been 
ordered  by  the  marquis,  according  to  Fay's  taste. 
He  spared  no  expense  in  preparing  a  home  for  the 
woman  whom  he  had  chosen  for  his  wife.  On  this 
Easter  Day  he  had  forgotten  the  fears  which  had 
haunted  him  since  the  rejection  of  the  bill  concern- 
ing Saint  Joseph's  College  at  V — .  After  all,  those 
were  only  imaginary  forebodings.  Nothing  could 
happen  to  separate  him  from  Fay. 

It  was  in  this  mood  that  he  went  that  afternoon 
to  the  Pension  Speranza  and  inquired  whether  Miss 
Fay  Lapeer  was  at  home.  Although  a  little  sur- 
prised when  told  that  she  had  not  yet  returned,  he 

235 


THE    JESUIT 

felt  no  alarm.  She  might  have  preferred  to  pass  this 
Sunday  at  the  convent.  But  still  he  felt  a  vague 
uneasiness. 

In  the  evening  he  went  again,  and  saw  Janet,  who 
was  still  in  the  happy  mood  which  had  possessed 
her  all  day. 

"  Fay  has  not  yet  come,"  she  said. 

"Hasn't  she  written?" 

"  No.  You  remember  that  she  wished  to  be  quite 
alone,  quite  undisturbed  during  these  two  weeks. 
We  have  not  heard  one  word  from  her  since  she  left. 
She  will  come  tomorrow  morning.  You  know  she 
is  very  fond  of  the  nuns  and  they  may  have  per- 
suaded her  to  stay  until  tomorrow." 

The  marquis  was  very  much  troubled.  It  was 
strange  that  Fay  had  not  sent  any  word,  if  not  to 
him,  then  to  her  mother.  The  more  he  pondered  it 
the  stranger  it  seemed.  Yet,  since  Janet  was  so  sure 
that  all  was  right,  he  did  not  wish  to  alarm  her 
needlessly. 

Janet  came  down  to  her  breakfast  earlier  than 
usual.  In  the  shadows  of  the  night  she,  too,  had 
begun  to  feel  anxious  about  her  sister.  She  had 
not  approved  of  this  going  into  "  retreat,"  but  it  was 
useless  to  argue  with  Fay.  Perhaps  she  was  ill.  In 
that  case  the  nuns  should  have  let  her  mother  know 
at  once.  Janet  had  felt  easier  about  her  sister  when 
she  knew  that  her  two  weeks  of  devotion  were  to  be 
passed  at  a  convent  where  she  and  Lady  Eger  were 
in  the  habit  of  going  frequently.  She  resolved  that 

236 


THE    JESUIT 

after  breakfast  she  would  go  to  the  convent  herself 
with  Romilda  and  make  inquiries. 

Before  she  had  finished  her  light  repast  of  coffee 
and  rolls  Sir  John  came  to  her  table  and,  drawing 
up  a  chair,  sat  down.  It  was  evident  that  he  was 
worried  and  wanted  to  talk  to  someone.  Sir  John 
and  Janet  were  very  good  friends.  He  was  so 
strong,  so  good.  Janet  felt  that  she  could  trust  him 
implicitly. 

"  How  is  your  sister  this  morning,  Sir  John  ?  " 

"  Very  weak.  It  strikes  me  that  something  is 
worrying  her,  but  I  cannot  find  out  what  it  is. 
Since  she  became  a  Roman  Catholic,  she  does  not 
confide  in  me  as  she  used  to  do.  Hortense  and  I 
were  such  good  friends  formerly.  If  I  only  knew 
what  was  troubling  her,  perhaps  I  could  help  her." 

He  was  nervously  playing  with  a  knife  on  the 
table  and  did  not  notice  the  sudden  tears  which 
came  to  Janet's  eyes.  She  had  felt  the  change  in 
Fay  already.  There  were  no  more  confidences  at 
bedtime.  Her  sister  had  become  reserved,  careful 
of  her  words.  She  felt  the  reaction  from  the  happy 
Easter,  and  she  was  anxious  about  Fay. 

"  You  may  be  interested  in  hearing  what  has 
been  the  fortune  of  that  young  ex-priest,  Miss 
Lapeer,"  Sir  John  said,  suddenly  changing  a  sub- 
ject which  was  painful  to  them  both.  "  If  you  have 
finished  your  breakfast,  come  into  the  other  room 
and  I  will  tell  you  about  it.  We  can  talk  without 
being  overheard.  I  declare,"  he  continued,  follow- 

237 


THE    JESUIT 

ing  Janet  out  of  the  dining  room,  "  if  I  stay  much 
longer  in  Rome,  I  shall  become  suspicious  of  every- 
one. I  imagine  that  there  are  spies  around  me ;  I  see 
a  Jesuit  in  every  waiter  and  a  disguised  priest  in  the 
man  who  cuts  my  hair." 

Janet  laughed.  Sir  John  was  so  original  that  he 
always  cheered  her. 

"  I  hope  you  are  not  suspicious  of  me/'  she  said, 
settling  herself  comfortably.  It  was  a  little  early 
to  go  to  the  convent.  She  would  wait  till  nine 
o'clock,  and  then,  if  Fay  had  not  come,  she  would 
call  Romilda  and  go  out. 

"  Not  yet.  The  story  of  that  ex-priest  is  exactly 
in  point.  It  is  a  strange  one.  Some  one  is  working 
against  him." 

"  Could  it  be — "  Janet  paused  and  Sir  John 
completed  the  sentence : 

"  Father  Veroni  ?  It  may  be ;  but,  honestly,  I 
doubt  it.  Father  Veroni  is  skilled  in  diplomacy,  in 
power  over  men  and  women  and  in  his  trade — if  I 
may  call  it  so.  He  works  in  the  interests  of  his 
Church.  But  I  cannot  believe  that  he  would  descend 
to  persecuting  a  young  man  whom  he  had  once 
loved.  Still,  I  may  not  judge  him  rightly.  You 
know  how  little  reason  I  have  to  love  Father  Veroni, 
and  you  know  my  opinion  of  the  system  of  which 
he  is  a  representative ;  so  I  am  not  prejudiced  when 
I  say  that  I  do  not  think  he  would  waste  his  time 
on  petty  revenge  when  he  is  interested  in  great 
schemes." 

238 


THE    JESUIT 

"  What  about  Signor  Gregori  ?  " 

"  Well,  he  had  a  little  money,  something  more 
than  a  thousand  francs,  which  he  wished  to  give  to 
a  hard-working  old  aunt,  whom  he  loves  very  much. 
He  kept  a  hundred  francs  for  himself,  thinking  that 
it  would  be  sufficient  to  maintain  him  until  he  could 
find  work.  One  hundred  francs  soon  melt  away, 
Miss  Lapeer,  as  you  and  I  know  well.  He  found  a 
place  in  a  shop  where  they  paid  him  enough  to  buy 
him  plain  food,  and  Mr.  Pierce  allowed  him  to  sleep 
in  a  little  room  behind  the  church.  He  stayed  in 
that  situation  exactly  three  days." 

"  Didn't  he  do  his  work  well?  " 

"  Excellently.  Even  the  proprietor  acknowledged 
that.  On  the  third  morning,  a  young  man  entered 
the  shop  and  inquired  of  Paolo  the  price  of  certain 
articles.  By  the  way,  that  fellow  has  been  pointed 
out  to  me  since,  and  I  recognized  him.  Do  you 
remember  a  reporter  in  our  box  at  the  Chamber  of 
Deputies?  He  took  notes  of  Marquis  di  Cassini's 
speech." 

"  Yes.  He  had  exceedingly  black  hair  and 
eyes." 

"  Oiled  his  hair !  "  grumbled  Sir  John,  in  a  tone 
of  disgust.  "  I  fancy  he  is  oily  in  mind  and  body. 
I  am  convinced  that  it  is  he  who  is  making  Paolo 
Gregori  so  much  trouble." 

"Who  is  he?" 

"  That's  what  Pierce  and  I  want  to  find  out.  It 
may  be  that  he  is  acting  for  Father  Veroni.  Per- 

239 


THE    JESUIT 

haps  you  could  interest  the  marquis  in  the  case. 
He  has  no  love  for  the  Clericals." 

"  Perhaps  I  can." 

"  To  make  a  long  story  short.  After  that  youth 
looked  around  a  little  he  called  on  the  proprietor  and, 
an  hour  later,  Gregori  was  out  of  a  place." 

"Why?" 

"  The  proprietor  said  he  was  quite  satisfied  with 
his  work,  but  there  were  reasons  why  he  could  not 
employ  him.  He  declined  to  state  the  reasons. 
Since  then  Gregori  has  been  employed  in  three  dif- 
ferent places,  recommended  by  Pierce  or  myself, 
and  from  each  one,  he  has  been  dismissed  after  a  few 
days.  In  one  case  it  was  frankly  stated  by  a  member 
of  the  firm  that  they  had  learned  that  he  was  an  ex- 
priest  and  it  would  be  an  injury  to  their  business  to 
retain  him.  This  was  at  a  large  jewelry  store  on 
the  Corso,  where  I  got  him  in.  I  went  myself  to  the 
head  of  the  establishment,  whom  I  know  personally, 
and  told  him  that  I  could  not  understand  it.  The 
fellow  did  his  work  well  and  it  was  an  offense  to  me 
if  they  dismissed  him.  You  know  that  jewels  are 
Hortense's  weakness  and  she  likes  good  ones,  too.  I 
have  spent  a  great  deal  of  money  in  that  shop,  buy- 
ing her  Christmas  and  birthday  presents.  I  blustered 
a  little  for  Gregori's  sake,  but  it  was  no  use.  Am  I 
keeping  you,  Miss  Lapeer?  " 

Janet  had  stealthily  looked  at  her  watch.  She 
was  secretly  growing  more  and  more  anxious  be- 
cause Fay  did  not  come. 

240 


THE    JESUIT 

"  I  have  ten  minutes  yet  before  nine  o'clock. 
Then,  I  must  go  out." 

"  There  isn't  much  more.  The  gentleman  re- 
gretted, and  so  forth,  but  he  dared  not  employ  a 
man  who  had  left  the  priesthood.  Many  of  his 
best  clients  were  strong  Clericals.  I  asked  him 
whether  he  was  not  afraid  of  losing  the  trade  of 
English-speaking  Protestants  by  refusing  to  deal 
justly  with  a  man  who  was  trying  to  earn  an  honest 
living.  He  replied,  with  a  smile :  *  Ah !  you  Prot- 
estants are  so  broad  in  your  views!  Everyone 
knows  that  much  of  the  money  for  the  support  of 
Catholic  institutions  of  charity  comes  from  generous 
contributions  by  English  and  American  Protestants. 
Personally,  I  like  the  young  man,  but  I  cannot  re- 
tain him  in  my  service.'  The  proprietor  was  a  Jew, 
Miss  Lapeer,  and  not  a  Roman  Catholic,  so  you  can 
see  that  he  meant  what  he  said.  He  did  not  dare 
employ  Paolo  Gregori." 

"  It  is  a  strange  story,"  said  Janet,  rising. 
"What  will  he  do  now?" 

"  Who  knows  ?  "  replied  Sir  John.  "  I  have  an 
idea  that  Pierce  intends  to  give  him  a  chance  to 
preach.  He  is  a  born  orator  and  a  student.  His 
place  is  not  behind  a  counter,  or  at  a  bookkeeper's 
desk.  But  he  wishes  first  to  make  a  thorough  trial 
of  his  sincerity.  Certainly,  Gregori  is  working 
much  harder  for  his  daily  bread  than  he  ever  did 
before ;  and  if  he  is  not  in  earnest,  he  will  soon  get 
tired  of  it  and  go  back  into  the  priesthood  as  a  good 

241 


THE    JESUIT 

many  others  have  done  before  him.  I  fear  that  I 
have  detained  you,  Miss  Lapeer." 

The  truth  was  that  Janet  was  now  so  nervous  that 
she  had  not  heard  the  last  sentences  of  Sir  John's 
account. 

Janet  met  the  porter  at  the  door,  as  she  went  out 
to  find  Romilda. 

"  There  is  a  letter  for  you,  miss." 

It  was  addressed  in  Fay's  handwriting.  With  a 
strange  and  overpowering  sensation  of  fear,  as  if  a 
great  disaster  were  soon  to  befall  her,  Janet  hurried 
to  her  own  room,  locked  the  door,  and  opened  the 
letter. 


242 


CHAPTER  XXI 

DARLING  MOTHER  AND  SISTER:  When  you  read  this  I  shall 
be  gone  from  you  forever,  dead  to  the  world  and  its  affections 
which  separate  us  from  the  spiritual  and  heavenly  life.  Do  not 
grieve,  for  I  shall  be  happy  in  the  knowledge  that  I  am  doing 
what  is  right,  what  is  my  duty  toward  those  who  have  been 
so  dear  to  me. 

It  has  been  shown  me  that  only  by  the  sacrifice  of  myself 
can  I  help  to  save  you  both,  and  him  whose  wife  I  was  to  have 
been.  Earthly  love  can  be  mine  no  more.  I  shall  be  the 
bride  of  Christ  and  my  days  and  nights  will  be  spent  in 
prayer  for  those  who  are  not  believers  in  the  true  faith,  or 
have  wandered  far  from  it. 

This  is  not  a  sudden  step  on  my  part.  So  important  a 
decision  was  not  hastily  made.  I  have  been  considering  it 
for  weeks,  and  since  I  have  been  in  the  convent  I  have  felt 
more  and  more  that  it  was  my  duty.  My  only  regret  is  that 
I  was  so  weak  that  I  could  not  bring  myself  to  a  decision 
earlier.  This  lack  of  firmness  in  my  character  will  bring 
great  suffering,  I  fear,  to  Guido.  I  weep  when  I  think  of  it. 
But  it  is  inevitable.  It  is  largely  because  I  love  him  so  dearly 
that  I  make  the  sacrifice.  As  Christ  died  for  us  that  we 
might  be  saved  from  our  sins,  I  believe  that  by  dying  to  the 
world,  I  can  save  him. 

It  would  have  been  different  if  he  had  yielded  to  the  will  of 
the  Church;  but  he  could  not.  Now,  I  trust,  that  through 
God's  mercy  he  may  turn  from  the  world  and  give  his  life  and 
his  talents  to  that  Church  which  must  be  first,  before  our 
families,  our  loved  ones,  or  our  country. 

Please  give  Guido  the  inclosed  letter.  I  hope — O,  I  pray ! — 
that  he  will  not  suffer  much.  I  could  not  help  doing  what  I 
have  done. 

And,  mother  and  Janet,  when  you  think  of  me,  remember 
that  I  am  at  peace  with  God,  and  very  happy. 

Do  not  try  to  find  me.  It  will  be  worse  than  useless,  for  I 
am  going  where  I  shall  be  completely  cut  off  from  any  asso- 
ciations with  the  world.  I  want  to  lose  myself  in  prayer  and 
devotion.  Some  day,  when  our  lives  are  done,  and  you  and 
Guido  have  come  into  the  true  Church,  we  may  be  permitted 
to  meet  again.  Your  very  affectionate 

FAY. 

243 


THE    JESUIT 

Janet  read  the  letter  several  times  before  her 
dazed  brain  could  comprehend  what  it  meant.  At 
last,  she  arrived  at  a  full  consciousness  of  the  terri- 
ble grief  which  had  come  to  them,  a  grief  which 
would  be  inconsolable  as  long  as  their  lives  should 
continue.  Fay,  her  sister,  the  promised  wife  of 
Marquis  di  Cassini,  had  entered  a  convent,  would 
become  a  nun,  forgetting  her  obligations  to  her 
mother  and  sister  and  to  him  who  loved  her.  A 
sacrifice!  Yes,  a  needless  sacrifice,  according  to 
Janet's  views. 

"  O,  how  can  I  tell  mother  ?  "  said  Janet,  speak- 
ing aloud  in  the  intensity  of  her  feeling.  "  It  will 
kill  her.  And  Guido !  poor  fellow !  It  was  not  right 
for  Fay  to  do  this  dreadful  thing!  It  was  not 
right."' 

Since  coming  to  Rome  Mrs.  Lapeer  had  developed 
nerves,  a  part  of  her  physical  organization  which 
she  had  not  thought  about  before.  Her  usual 
placidity  was  disturbed  by  the  complete  change  of 
scene  and  customs,  and  Fay's  engagement  to  the 
marquis  had  thrown  her  into  a  state  of  excitement 
which  caused  agitation  and  irritability.  Her  heart 
was  set  on  this  marriage  and,  outside  of  her  grief 
for  her  daughter,  the  disappointment  would  be  very 
grave  and  its  consequent  effect  upon  her  nervous 
system  very  serious.  Although  Fay  had  not  settled 
on  the  date  of  her  marriage,  she  had  allowed  her 
mother  to  give  orders  for  the  trousseau.  Milliners 
and  dressmakers  were  already  busy  at  work  for  her, 

244 


THE    JESUIT 

and  in  the  convent  where  there  were  fine  em- 
broiderers, an  extensive  outfit  of  filmy,  dainty  under- 
wear was  being  prepared.  Mrs.  Lapeer  would  be 
heartbroken,  and  humiliated  as  well,  by  Fay's 
action. 

"  I  cannot  tell  her,"  groaned  Janet,  letting  the  let- 
ters fall  into  her  lap,  while  she  tried  to  collect  her 
thoughts.  She  had  only  two  friends  in  Rome,  in 
this  great  city  of  mystery :  Alda  Pierce  and  Sir  John. 

"  I  will  ask  Alda  to  come,"  she  decided,  and  going 
to  the  telephone,  called  up  the  Pierces. 

"  No  one  is  at  home,"  the  maid  said.  "  The 
whole  family  have  gone  to  the  country  for  the  day. 
They  will  not  be  back  until  late." 

It  was  a  real  disappointment  in  this  hour  when 
she  needed  help  so  sorely.  Sir  John  remained,  and 
she  was  relieved  to  see  his  tall  figure  coming  down 
the  corridor.  Sir  John  would  tell  her  what  to  do. 

It  was  Sir  John  who  calmed  her  with  comforting 
words  when  she  broke  out  into  a  torrent  of  weeping 
as  she  tried  to  tell  him  the  terrible  news ;  it  was  Sir 
John  who  advised  her  to  wait  a  few  hours  before 
informing  her  mother,  who  was  in  bed  with  a 
nervous  headache,  and  it  was  to  him  that  she  con- 
signed the  letter  Fay  had  sent  for  the  marquis. 

To  take  that  letter  to  the  marquis  was  the  hardest 
thing  Sir  John  ever  did.  Twice  that  morning, 
Guido  had  telephoned  to  know  whether  Fay  had 
returned,  and  once  he  came  himself,  but  Janet  was 
able  to  avoid  seeing  him. 

245 


THE    JESUIT 


Sir  John  squared  his  shoulders  and  went  to  the 
Cassini  palace  just  after  luncheon.  He  asked  for 
Marquis  di  Cassini  and  placed  the  letter  in  his  hands, 
leaving  the  room  and  house  at  once.  There  are 
blows  which  a  man  must  bear  alone,  and  for  hours 
after  he  had  read  Fay's  letter,  Guido  sat  in  his 
private  room,  with  doors  locked  to  keep  out  in- 
truders. No  eye  ever  saw  the  words  she  wrote 
and  no  human  being  ever  knew  what  he  suffered  in 
those  hours  of  his  sorrow.  It  would  have  been 
easier  if  she  had  died.  She  was  alive,  beautiful, 
loving,  shut  in  behind  the  walls  of  a  convent,  pray- 
ing, fasting,  doing  penance.  Alas !  the  results  were 
not  such  as  Fay  hoped  and  desired.  Guido  di  Cas- 
sini was  not  drawn  closer  to  the  Church  by  this 
sacrifice;  he  was  driven  further  away,  embittered 
and  angered  at  this  needless  loss  of  happiness  for 
her  and  himself.  For  a  short  time  the  enthusiasm 
would  keep  her  spirits  at  a  high  pitch  of  excitement. 
What  then?  What  of  the  long,  long  years  of  mo- 
notony and  deathly  weariness  ?  She  was  young  and 
he  was  young;  they  must  grow  old,  each  alone,  be- 
cause of  this  preposterous  idea  of  sacrifice. 

Was  it  any  wonder  that  Guido  left  that  room  a 
different  man,  with  a  hardness  in  his  character 
which  had  never  been  there  before? 

It  is  strange  that  one's  life  goes  on,  even  in  the 
midst  of  tragedy  and  suffering.  Never  does  one  so 
completely  realize  what  an  atom  one  is,  how  insig- 
nificant, as  when  a  terrible  grief  comes,  and  the 

246 


THE    JESUIT 

world  about  us  moves  on  steadily,  gaily,  just  about 
as  usual. 

This  experience  came  to  Janet.  She,  her  mother, 
and  Guido  were  grieving  for  Fay.  The  tourists 
came  and  went  the  same  as  ever,  flaunting  their  red 
Baedekers  and  discussing  the  ruins  and  galleries. 
Bells  rang  merrily  and  the  sun  rose  in  the  morning 
and  set  gorgeously  in  the  evening;  but  Fay  was 
gone! 

The  marquis  quietly  informed  his  friends  that 
the  wedding  would  not  take  place.  The  news 
caused  a  whirlwind  of  gossip  and  excitement  in 
social  circles.  Whispers  were  exchanged  over  after- 
noon cups  of  tea  and  Roman  matrons  nodded  their 
heads  wisely  at  each  other  and  affirmed  that  they 
had  never  believed  that  the  marriage  would  occur. 
It  was  a  blind  infatuation  of  Guide's  for  the  Ameri- 
can girl  and  he  would  soon  recover  from  the  disap- 
pointment. 

Whether  Guido  recovered,  the  world  of  Rome 
never  knew.  When  he  made  his  next  appearance 
among  his  acquaintances  they  observed  that  his 
mouth  was  more  stern  than  it  had  been  and  that 
his  dark  hair  was  slightly  streaked  with  gray. 
There  was  no  further  sign  that  he  had  suffered 
when  his  hopes  of  joy  and  happiness  were  blasted. 
He  was  just  as  courteous,  just  as  kindly  as  ever, 
but  he  soon  became  known  as  a  bitter,  almost  un- 
reasonable, opponent  of  the  Clerical  party. 

"  It  will  not  be  necessary  for  you  to  complete  the 
247 


THE    JESUIT 

work  in  my  apartment,"  he  said  to  the  man  who  had 
charge  of  the  renovations  in  the  Cassini  palace. 

"  The  Signor  Marchese  does  not  wish  to  have  the 
rooms  finished  ?  "  inquired  the  man,  surprised  at  the 
sudden  order,  although  he,  too,  had  heard  how  the 
beautiful  American  lady  had  chosen  to  enter  a  con- 
vent rather  than  live  in  a  splendid  palace  and  be  a 
"  grande  dame  "  in  Roman  society.  "  A  foolish 
freak ! "  he  had  said  to  himself  that  very  morning, 
as  he  walked  through  the  spacious  salons.  "  Bury 
herself  in  a  convent,  devote  her  life  to  prayers  be- 
hind closed  doors,  when  she  might  have  enjoyed  all 
this  grandeur!  My  own  opinion  is  that  there  is 
some  priest  behind  it — and  money."  He  winked 
at  himself  in  one  of  the  Venetian  mirrors.  There 
were  many  in  Rome  who  had  expressed,  or  perhaps 
thought,  the  same  thing. 

"  You  heard  what  I  said,"  replied  the  marquis, 
a  little  sharply.  He  had  almost  reached  the  limit 
of  his  self-control. 

"  The  Signor  Marchese's  wishes  shall  be  obeyed," 
was  the  response,  but  the  man's  sharp  eyes  rested 
inquisitively  on  the  face  of  his  employer.  "  He's 
pretty  badly  cut  up,"  was  his  mental  observation. 

Within  an  hour,  the  army  of  workmen  had  re- 
tired, the  sound  of  hammering  had  ceased,  the  rooms 
were  silent  and  deserted. 

That  afternoon  Guido  entered  the  apartment  for 
the  last  time  in  his  life.  As  the  only  son  and  head 
of  the  family,  he  was  absolute  master  of  the  prop- 

2*8 


THE    JESUIT 

erty.  This  apartment  was  his  to  control.  It  should 
be  closed,  exactly  as  it  was,  half-finished,  only  par- 
tially ready  for  the  bride  who  would  never  come 
into  it. 

If  Fay  had  consented  to  be  married  in  May,  as 
he  desired,  he  would  have  taken  her  away  to  his 
castle  perched  high  upon  a  mountain  in  the  pic- 
turesque Abruzzi.  In  the  autumn  this  work  would 
have  been  completed  and  Fay  could  have  added 
those  touches  which  a  refined,  cultured  woman 
knows  how  to  give  to  a  home. 

His  face  hardened  as  he  continued  his  walk 
through  the  lonely  rooms.  Fay's  boudoir  was  more 
nearly  finished  than  the  salons.  He  entered  it  and 
sat  down.  The  walls  were  hung  with  silk  of  pale 
rose-tint.  The  ceiling  had  been  newly  frescoed  with 
Watteau  scenes.  The  furniture  had  been  chosen 
by  Fay,  in  the  style  of  Louis  XIV,  white  and  gold. 

Here,  there  was  no  need  for  self-control.  He 
sank  down  on  his  knees,  buried  his  face  in  his  hands 
and  sobs,  those  of  a  man  who  seldom  weeps,  shook 
him  violently  from  head  to  foot. 

The  shadows  grew  deeper,  and  the  little  boudoir 
was  filled  with  the  soft,  gray  light  of  early  evening. 

Guido  left  the  apartment,  went  to  his  library  and 
rang  the  bell  sharply. 

"  Send  me  the  steward,"  the  master  commanded, 
when  the  servant  came. 

To  the  steward  he  gave  his  orders  concisely  and 
clearly. 

249 


THE    JESUIT 

"  You  will  close  all  the  windows  in  my  apart- 
ment in  the  '  piano  nobile/  lock  the  doors,  and  bring 
me  the  keys." 

With  a  respectful  bow  and  sympathetic  look,  the 
steward  retired.  There  were  few  kind  words  for 
Fay  spoken  in  the  lower  part  of  the  palace,  where 
the  servants  lived  and  talked  over  freely  the  affairs 
of  the  family  with  whom  some  of  them  had  been 
associated  for  many  years.  They  had  known  the 
marquis  since  he  was  an  infant  and  they  loved  and 
pitied  him.  The  condemnation  of  Fay  was  not 
necessarily  because  she  had  gone  into  a  convent. 
"  Who  knows?  she  may  have  had  a  vocation,"  some 
of  the  women  said.  The  general  opinion  was  that 
if  she  had  a  vocation,  she  should  have  found  it  out 
before  and  not  allowed  the  marquis  to  think  that  she 
would  marry  him. 

That  evening  Guido  received  the  keys  from  the 
steward,  and  locked  them  up  in  a  small  drawer, 
where  they  remained  untouched. 

Guido  did  not  blame  Fay  for  the  step  which  she 
had  taken.  There  was  not  one  bitter  thought  of  her 
in  his  mind.  Neither  did  he  nourish  the  least  hope 
that  she  would  repent  her  decision  before  it  was  too 
late  and  leave  the  convent  to  come  back  to  him. 
He  had  been  born  into  the  Roman  Catholic  faith. 
He  was  an  Italian  and  he  knew  better  than  Janet 
or  her  mother,  or  even  than  Sir  John,  that  Fay's 
fate  was  inexorably  sealed.  The  web  had  been 
woven  firmly,  her  conscience  and  soul  were  bound 

250 


THE    JESUIT 


in  its  strands,  drawn  so  slowly,  so  softly  around  her, 
that  she  had  scarcely  felt  them. 

The  marquis  cursed  her  fortune  and  wished  that 
she  had  been  a  dowerless  bride.  He  blamed  Father 
Veroni,  whom  he  suspected  of  having  persuaded  his 
mother  to  devote  his  young  sister's  life  to  a  convent, 
and  now,  of  having  influenced  Fay  to  separate  her- 
self from  the  world. 

"  I  will  go  to  him  myself,"  he  resolved,  but  he 
delayed  from  day  to  day.  Courageous  as  he  was, 
he  hesitated  to  face  Father  Veroni,  who  had  been 
his  father's  friend  and  his  mother's  lifelong  adviser. 

He  delayed  so  long  that  the  Consistory  had  been 
held  at  the  Vatican  and  Father  Veroni  was  no 
longer  a  humble  priest.  He  had  assumed  the  car- 
dinal's hat,  was  a  member  of  the  Curia,  the  College 
of  Cardinals,  and  the  great  and  noble  bowed  before 
him  and  kissed  his  hand  in  reverence. 

There  were  times  when  the  marquis  feared  to  go 
to  the  cardinal  lest  he  should  be  brutally  frank  and 
anger  the  prelate  and  defeat  his  own  ends  thereby. 
He  clinched  his  hands  when  he  thought  of  Floria. 
She  had  not  yet  taken  the  veil,  but  would  do  so  in 
the  "month  of  Mary,"  then  just  beginning,  the 
month  when  roses  bloomed  in  joyous  abandon  and 
all  life  was  meant  to  be  gay  and  merry.  They  would 
shut  his  little  sister  in  the  convent,  simply  because 
of  a  foolish  vow  his  mother  had  made  years  before ! 
How  far  did  a  mother's  rights  extend?  Fay  was 
lost  to  him.  Perhaps  he  could  save  Floria.  He 

251 


THE    JESUIT 

would  exert  his  authority  in  his  own  household. 
Then  he  thought  of  his  mother  and  doubts  of  his 
ability  to  force  her  to  change  her  decision  assailed 
him.  He  would  wait  still  a  few  days  and  think  the 
matter  over. 


252 


CHAPTER  XXII 

ALTHOUGH  Cardinal  Veroni  had  assumed  his  new 
honors  only  a  short  time  before  a  certain  May  morn- 
ing, he  wore  them  with  dignity  and  a  sense  of  his 
exalted  position.  Not  having,  as  yet,  secured  an 
apartment  worthy  of  his  rank  as  a  Prince  of  the 
Church,  he  continued  to  occupy  his  old  home.  It 
does  not  take  long  for  the  public  to  realize  the  fact 
that  a  priest  has  been  made  a  cardinal.  Father 
Veroni  had  received  many  visitors  and  transacted 
much  business,  but  Cardinal  Veroni  discovered  that 
a  host  of  people  desired  to  know  him  and  wanted 
favors  conferred  upon  them. 

His  small  antechamber  was  occupied  by  at  least 
ten  persons  when  the  young  man  whom  he  had  hired 
as  his  secretary  came  into  the  room  and  informed 
those  who  were  waiting  that  his  eminence  would 
now  receive  them.  They  entered  the  cardinal's 
presence  in  the  order  of  their  arrival. 

The  tenth  person  was  a  young  man  who  grew 
very  impatient  for  his  turn  to  come. 

"  Did  you  tell  his  eminence  that  I  have  a  letter 
for  him  from  Cardinal  Perotti  ? "  he  inquired 
sharply  of  the  secretary. 

"  I  did.  He  says  that  he  regrets  to  keep  you  wait- 
ing, but  he  must  first  see  those  who  arrived  previous 
to  you." 

253 


THE    JESUIT 

Enrico  Gardi  bit  his  lip.  Father  Veroni  would 
not  have  thought  it  the  part  of  wisdom  to  send  such 
a  message  to  him.  It  was  different,  now  that  he 
was  a  cardinal. 

It  seemed  to  him  that  the  man  had  changed  with 
his  status  in  the  Church.  He  was  more  dignified, 
more  cold  and  reserved  in  manner,  and  received  the 
secretary  of  his  colleague  with  very  little  show  of 
cordiality.  Father  Veroni  had  never  liked  Signor 
Gardi.  He  considered  him  a  presuming,  conceited 
young  man,  and  could  not  understand  why  Cardinal 
Perotti  kept  him  in  his  service.  It  was  an  excellent 
thing  to  have  a  secretary  who  was  trustworthy, 
faithful,  obedient  and  silent.  Cardinal  Veroni  was 
convinced  that  Gardi  worked  in  his  own  interests, 
did  not  possess  the  qualities  mentioned,  knew  en- 
tirely too  much,  and  listened  at  keyholes  with  too 
great  assiduity.  He  disliked  him  accordingly. 

"  I  bring  a  letter  for  your  Eminence,"  began 
Gardi. 

"  Kindly  give  it  to  me." 

The  cardinal  read  the  letter,  wrote  a  few  words 
in  reply  and  handed  the  note  to  Signor  Gardi. 
Evidently,  he  considered  the  audience  at  an  end. 

"  Did  you  wish  something  else  ?"  he  inquired, 
when  the  secretary  made  no  movement  toward 
leaving. 

"  May  I  speak  to  your  Eminence  on  a  subject 
which  is  of  importance  ?  " 

"  You  may." 

254 


THE    JESUIT 


"  I  have  learned  a  few  facts  with  regard  to  an  ex- 
priest  named  Paolo  Gregori." 

Cardinal  Veroni  picked  up  a  mother-of-pearl 
paper-cutter  and  amused  himself  by  trying  its 
sharpness  on  some  envelopes. 

"  I  am  aware  that  your  Eminence  has  a  special 
interest  in  this  young  man;  it  is  considered  to  be 
an  unusual  affection  on  the  part  of  an  eminent  car- 
dinal," continued  Gardi,  losing  control  of  his  judg- 
ment in  his  desire  to  arouse  the  prelate,  "  and  I  ven- 
tured to  come  and  make  a  report." 

The  cardinal's  eyes  were  lowered  to  the  paper- 
cutter,  or  Gardi  would  have  been  warned  by  the 
steely  glitter  in  them  of  a  necessity  for  prudence. 

"  He  has  tried  everywhere  to  get  work  and  has 
failed.  Why?  Because  7  have  interfered.  I  have 
followed  him  into  each  new  place  of  employment 
and  informed  the  proprietor  that  he  was  an  ex-priest. 
If  he  was  employed,  it  was  at  a  great  risk,  for  both 
Cardinal  Perotti  and  Cardinal  Veroni  would  use 
their  influence  against  him." 

"  It  is  evident  that  you  were  not  trained  in  a 
Jesuit  College,  Signer  Gardi,"  said  Cardinal  Veroni 
with  cold  sarcasm,  "  or  you  would  have  learned  to 
be  more  diplomatic."  His  voice  grew  stern.  "  How 
dared  you  use  my  name  ?  Did  I  ever  give  you  per- 
mission to  hound  a  man  to  his  ruin  in  my  name? 
What  interest  have  I  in  Paolo  Gregori?  You  had 
courage,  indeed,  to  come  here  and  tell  me  this." 

The  secretary  looked  like  a  whipped  puppy. 
255 


THE    JESUIT 

Even  his  waxed  moustache  drooped.  He  had  ex- 
pected approbation,  and  perhaps  a  handsome  present 
for  his  valuable  services,  and  he  received  hard 
words. 

"  Decidedly,  your  line  of  business,  Signor  Gardi, 
is  not  that  of  an  avenger,  or  even,  I  may  add,  of  a 
gentleman,"  continued  the  clear  voice  of  the  car- 
dinal. "  I  will  bid  you  good  morning." 

Enrico  Gardi  slunk  out  of  the  room,  much  sub- 
dued in  spirit.  He  had  thought  to  meet  an  intriguer 
of  his  own  type,  the  spying,  listening,  whispering 
man,  who  loved  small  revenges  and  paid  well  for 
information.  He  had  mistaken  his  man.  Had  the 
cardinal's  secretary  been  shrewd  enough,  he  would 
have  realized  that  he  had  met  an  ecclesiastical  dip- 
lomat far  more  skilled  than  he,  who  manipulated 
large  schemes  and  did  not  stoop  to  persecute  or 
drive  an  ex-priest  out  of  a  situation.  Sir  John  was 
right;  Cardinal  Veroni  had  nothing  to  do  with  the 
unsuccessful  attempts  of  Paolo  Gregori  to  earn  an 
honest  living.  The  day  might  come  when  he  could 
interfere  with  the  plans  of  the  Protestants  in  regard 
to  the  former  priest,  but  it  would  be  accomplished 
in  a  far  different  manner. 

Nevertheless,  the  knowledge  that  Paolo  was  not 
finding  his  road  smooth  was  slightly  satisfactory  to 
him,  for  he  had  sincerely  regretted  the  action  which 
the  young  and  successful  priest  had  taken. 

His  eminence  was  smiling  when  his  next  visitor 
entered,  but  the  smile  faded  when  he  saw  who  it 

256 


THE    JESUIT 

was.  The  one  person  whom  he  had  wished  to  avoid 
since  Easter  was  Janet  Lapeer,  and  now  he  was  face 
to  face  with  her.  He  rose  to  his  feet  and  held  out 
his  hand  to  her. 

"  Miss  Lapeer,  this  is  an  unexpected  favor.  Will 
you  please  take  a  seat  ?  " 

Janet  sat  down,  too  weak  and  nervous  to  remain 
standing.  She  had  hesitated  a  long  time  before 
coming  to  the  cardinal,  but  she  felt  that,  at  any  cost, 
she  must  find  out  where  Fay  was.  The  suspense 
was  wearing  on  her  nerves.  As  she  had  expected, 
the  news  brought  to  her  mother  a  serious  illness, 
and  the  doctors  advised  removing  her  from  the 
scenes  which  were  so  closely  connected  with  Fay. 
Very  soon  they  were  to  go  to  Frascati,  a  beautiful 
town  on  the  slope  of  the  mountains  near  Rome. 
Mrs.  Lapeer  absolutely  refused  to  go  any  further 
away. 

At  first,  Janet  had  thought  of  asking  Lady  Eger 
what  she  knew  about  Fay,  but  this  had  been  impos- 
sible. Day  and  night  nurses  were  now  required  to 
care  for  the  sick  woman,  who  could  scarcely  speak 
above  a  whisper.  She  must  not  be  disturbed  or 
agitated;  it  might  cause  her  death. 

There  was  no  one  else  to  whom  she  could  go,  ex- 
cept to  Cardinal  Veroni.  At  the  convent  where  Fay 
had  passed  the  two  weeks  before  Easter,  she  could 
not  obtain  any  information.  They  knew  nothing 
about  Miss  Fay  Lapeer. 

So  she  had  come  to  the  cardinal  and  her  eyes 


THE    JESUIT 

appealed  to  him  HKC  those  of  a  child.  When  he  met 
her  glance  he  turned  his  own  away. 

Strange  to  say,  in  spite  of  her  obduracy,  Cardinal 
Veroni  respected  Janet  very  highly.  She  was  a 
Protestant  with  straight-laced  views,  a  woman  who 
had  utterly  refused  to  yield  to  the  fascination  of 
brilliant  functions  with  music  beautiful  enough  for 
angel  choirs,  yet  he  admired  her  as  he  had  never 
admired  Fay.  It  was  one  of  the  contradictions  of 
human  nature,  and  Cardinal  Veroni  was  still  human. 

He  was  a  man  who  observed  details  and  saw  that 
she  was  plainly  dressed  in  gray,  a  color  peculiarly 
becoming  to  her.  Janet  had  felt,  when  Fay  left 
them,  as  a  woman  does  when  death  takes  from  her 
one  whom  she  holds  precious — she  had  wished  to 
enshroud  herself  in  black,  but  on  her  mother's  ac- 
count she  did  not  do  so. 

"  It  is  the  face  of  a  Madonna,"  thought  the  car- 
dinal, noting  critically  the  oval  form  of  her  face,  the 
delicate  features  and  fine  expression,  the  tender  eyes 
and  pathetic  droop  of  the  mouth,  a  mute  appeal  to 
his  kindness  and  gentleness.  Again  the  thought 
came  to  him  :  "  What  an  abbess  she  would  make !  " 

"  Where  is  my  sister  ?  "  she  asked,  abruptly. 

"  You  will  believe  me  when  I  tell  you  that  I  do 
not  know  ?  "  he  said,  interrogatively. 

She  shook  her  head,  and  the  cardinal's  pale  face 
was  flooded  with  a  rush  of  color.  Never  in  his  long 
career  had  he  felt  so  keenly  the  humiliation  of  not 
being  believed. 

258 


THE    JESUIT 

"  Where  is  my  sister?  "  she  repeated.  Her  voice 
was  now  full  and  strong.  "  Where  have  you  hidden 
her  from  us  ?  " 

The  cardinal  faced  her  bravely. 

"  Look  me  in  the  eyes,  Miss  Lapeer.  I  am  not 
lying  when  I  tell  you  that  I  do  not  know  where  your 
sister  is.  I  knew  that  she  did  not  return  to  the 
pension,  but  where  she  went,  believe  me,  I  do  not 
know." 

With  a  cry  of  despair  Janet  clasped  her  hands 
together,  as  if  she  were  suffering.  "  Then  you  can- 
not give  me  any  information  about  her  ?  " 

"  No,  Miss  Lapeer." 

"  Someone  must  know  where  she  is.  She  could 
not  have  made  so  serious  a  decision  without  con- 
sulting someone.  Didn't  you  know  of  her  inten- 
tion ?  "  Janet  was  too  much  in  earnest  to  remember 
the  titles  which  it  was  customary  to  use  in  address- 
ing the  cardinal.  To  her,  he  was  a  plain  man,  from 
whom  she  desired  information. 

"  I  did." 

"  She  told  you  she  was  going  to  leave  us,  to  enter 
a  convent,  to  give  up  the  man  she  loved,  never  to  see 
us,  never  to  write  to  us.  It  would  be  easier  for  us 
if  she  were  dead." 

The  flush  had  faded  from  the  cardinal's  face  now. 
It  looked  gray  and  drawn.  Rarely  had  he  been  so 
moved  from  his  cold  self-control.  Sophistry  no 
longer  availed  him.  To  Janet  he  must  be  frank 
and  open. 

259 


THE    JESUIT 

"  I  knew  all  about  it,  Miss  Lapeer." 

"  But  you  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  inform 
her  mother,  her  natural  guardian?" 

"  No." 

If  deep  contempt  could  be  expressed  on  Janet's 
gentle  countenance,  it  was  there  now.  She  would 
appeal  no  longer  to  this  man  who  had  no  heart. 

"  Good  morning,"  she  said. 

"  One  moment,  Miss  Lapeer.  I  knew  of  your 
sister's  intentions,  but  I  do  not  know  where  she  is. 
It  may  seem  incredible  to  you,  but  it  is  true.  Do 
you  believe  me  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Father  Veroni,  I  believe  you." 

She  was  gone,  and  the  cardinal  sat  down  wearily 
by  his  desk.  It  was  odd,  but  he  had  been  very 
anxious  that  she  should  believe  his  word.  He  could 
not  lie  to  Janet  Lapeer.  That  was  the  man,  Pietro 
Veroni ;  the  Jesuit  training  soon  came  to  the  surface 
again.  It  was  true,  he  did  not  know  where  Fay 
Lapeer  was.  He  was  ignorant  of  the  name  of  the 
convent  where  she  had  gone,  although  it  would  not 
be  difficult  for  him  to  ascertain  it.  He  did  not  know 
it,  because  he  had  been  certain  that,  sooner  or  later, 
Janet  would  ask  him,  and  he  did  not  want  to  tell 
her. 

Cardinal  Veroni  was  having  a  strenuous  morning. 
It  was  trying  to  his  nerves,  especially  when  he  saw 
that  his  next  visitor  was  the  Marquis  di  Cassini, 
who,  by  some  strange  coincidence,  had  come  on  the 
same  morning  as  Janet. 

360 


THE    JESUIT 

"  I  will  be  patient  and  not  abusive,"  Guido  re- 
solved, following  the  secretary  into  his  eminence's 
presence. 

He  stooped  to  kiss  the  cardinal's  hand  and  was 
immediately  conscious  of  an  icy  atmosphere  sur- 
rounding him. 

Cardinal  Veroni  placed  the  tips  of  his  fingers  to- 
gether, a  favorite  position  when  he  was  annoyed 
and  waited  for  his  guest  to  speak.  He  was  getting 
tired  and  felt  irritable.  First,  he  had  been  obliged 
to  think  of  Paolo  Gregori,  always  a  subject  of  an- 
noyance; then,  Janet  had  looked  at  him  with  her 
clear,  true  eyes,  and  now,  he  must  be  troubled  by 
questions  from  the  marquis,  who  would  not  be  so 
easy  to  answer  as  the  simple-hearted  American  girl. 

Guido's  courage  increased,  now  that  he  was  in 
the  presence  of  this  man  who  could  decide  destinies 
with  indifference.  He  became  desperate  and  reck- 
less. 

"  Where  have  you  put  her  ?  "  he  blurted  out,  for- 
getting all  his  resolutions  to  be  calm  and  self-com- 
posed. 

"Of  whom  art  thou  speaking?"  inquired  the 
cardinal. 

"  Of  Miss  Fay  Lepeer,  who  was  to  have  been  my 
wife.  How  dared  you  take  her  from  me?  How 
dared  you  interfere  between  a  man  and  the  woman 
he  loves?  Could  you  not  have  taken  her  money, 
a  paltry  fortune,  and  left  her  to  be  happy,  to  enjoy 
her  young  life,  instead  of  saddening  her  whole  exist- 

261 


THE    JESUIT 

ence  and  wrecking  the  joy  of  her  mother  and  sister, 
as  well  as  my  own  ?  You  are  cruel,  unfeeling — " 

The  marquis  had  entirely  forgotten  the  paths  of 
prudence;  he  had  thrown  wisdom  to  the  winds. 
Coming  with  a  desire  to  placate  rather  than  offend, 
he  had  forgotten  everything  but  his  lost  love,  and 
that  the  man  sitting  there  so  calmly  was,  to  a  large 
degree,  responsible  for  his  misfortune. 

"  Art  thou  mad,  Guido  Cassini  ?  "  interrupted  the 
cardinal's  stern  voice.  "  I  am  thy  mother's  friend, 
as  I  was  that  of  thy  father.  Why  dost  thou  come 
here  to  insult  me  in  my  own  home  ?  " 

The  cardinal  had  not  lost  his  power  over  men, 
and  Guido  realized  suddenly  that  in  his  presence 
he  was  only  a  youth,  impertinent,  and  self-willed. 

"  Miss  Fay  Lapeer  decided  entirely  on  her  own 
responsibility  that  the  pleasures  of  the  world  would 
be  temptations  to  draw  her  away  from  a  religious 
life.  She  had  other  reasons,  which  she  wrote  to 
thee,  no  doubt." 

The  marquis  bowed. 

"  It  was  her  special  desire  that  neither  her  family 
or  thyself  should  know  where  she  is.  It  would  be 
less  painful  for  thee  and  for  her.  I,  myself,  do  not 
know  to  which  convent  she  went." 

Guido  shrugged  his  shoulders  very  slightly,  and 
the  cardinal  proceeded,  apparently  without  noticing 
the  movement :  "  Will  it  make  the  sorrow — for  I 
know  that  it  is  a  sorrow,  Guido — any  lighter,  if  I 
assure  thee  that  she  is  very  happy,  very  contented, 

262 


THE    JESUIT 

and  that  her  heart's  desire  is  that  thou  wilt  devote 
thy  interests  to  that  Church  to  which  thou  belongest 
and  to  which  she  has  given  her  life  ?  " 

"  Can  your  Eminence  expect  that  result,  after 
what  has  occurred?  No,  from  this  time  on,  I  will 
use  my  energies  in  frustrating  the  plans  of  the 
Clerical  party." 

"  It  will  succeed  without  thy  help,  then.  Thou 
art  making  a  mistake,  Guido.  Thou  didst  not  truly 
love  this  woman,  if  thou  canst  not  yield  to  her 
prayers  and  desires." 

The  marquis  looked  squarely  into  the  face  of  the 
cardinal. 

"  Your  Eminence  knows  that  what  you  say  is 
not  true.  But  my  conscience  does  not  belong  to 
Fay,  or  to  you,  or  to  the  Church.  It  is  mine,  and,  so 
help  me  God,  I  will  follow  it." 

"  We  cannot  understand  each  other  and  it  is  better 
to  terminate  this  very  unpleasant  interview." 

"  One  moment,  Eminenza,"  said  Guido,  for  the 
first  time  remembering  what  the  chief  object  of  his 
visit  had  been.  "  In  a  week,  my  sister  Floria  is  to 
take  the  veil,  I  believe.  As  head  of  our  family,  I 
oppose  it.  It  must  not  be." 

The  cardinal's  smile  was  inscrutable  and  unpleas- 
ing.  He  pressed  an  electric  button  at  the  side  of  his 
desk. 

"  This  is  a  matter  in  which  thy  mother  is  deeply 
interested.  Speak  to  her  about  it.  If  she  decides  to 
break  her  vow  and  allow  Floria  to  leave  the  convent, 

263 


THE    JESUIT 

she  must  be  responsible,  not  I.  Call  the  carriage  of 
Marquis  di  Cassini,"  he  said  to  the  servant. 

The  secretary  entered  the  room. 

"  There  are  no  more  visitors,  Eminenza.  Have 
you  any  further  commands  ?  " 

"  None.    I  wish  to  be  alone." 

The  newly-made  cardinal  passed  his  hand  over 
his  forehead  and  eyes  as  if  he  were  extremely 
weary.  It  had  been,  indeed,  a  very  strenuous 
morning. 

A  week  later,  when  the  convent  gardens  were 
gorgeous  with  a  wealth  of  red  and  yellow  roses, 
when  the  chapel  windows  were  jeweled  in  rich  color 
by  the  sunshine  from  without,  in  God's  free  world, 
a  shaft  of  golden  light  penetrated  the  figure  of  a 
dove,  pictured  on  the  glass  over  the  altar  and  fell 
upon  Floria  di  Cassini,  who  knelt  there. 

Her  mother  and  sisters  were  present  in  the  chapel. 
They  wept  a  little,  but  only  a  little,  because  they  had 
never  known  Floria  well;  she  had  been  with  the 
nuns  almost  all  the  time  since  she  was  a  child,  in 
order  that  she  might  be  prepared  for  her  vocation, 
or  perhaps  that  she  might  not  know  the  world  and 
long  vainly  for  it.  The  mother  knelt  on  the  hard 
pavement  and  felt  virtuous.  She  had  requited  to 
the  Madonna  the  blessing  of  health  conferred  upon 
her  years  before.  She  had  given  up  her  daughter, 
and  she  trusted  that  it  would  be  counted  to  her  for 
righteousness. 

Guido  was  not  present.  The  conversation  with 
264 


THE    JESUIT 

his  mother  had  been  stormy  and  worse  than  useless. 
She  could  not  break  her  vow  without  losing  her 
soul.  Besides,  if  Fay,  the  American  girl,  whom  he 
had  wished  to  marry,  and  of  whom  she  had  never 
approved  until  she  showed  her  good  sense  and  en- 
tered a  convent,  leaving  him  free,  she  hoped,  to 
make  a  more  suitable  alliance,  had  chosen  to  devote 
her  life  to  prayer  and  fasting,  there  could  be  no 
great  hardship  in  it. 

He  left  the  room  without  replying.  On  this  fine 
spring  day,  when  Floria  took  her  irrevocable  vows, 
he  drove  furiously,  madly,  across  the  Campagna  to 
his  villa  in  the  Alban  Hills.  There  he  spent  the 
day,  longing  for  the  two  women  who  were  so  dear 
to  him  and  whom  he  would  never  see  again. 


265 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

"CAN  you  come?    Hortense  is  much  worse." 

This  was  the  telegram  sent  by  Sir  John  to  Janet 
three  weeks  after  she  and  her  mother  reached  Fras- 
cati.  Very  soon  after  receiving  it  she  was  seated  in 
the  electric  train,  riding  rapidly  down  the  steep  hill- 
sides, between  olive  groves  and  vineyards,  and  then 
hurrying  across  the  Campagna,  treeless,  bare,  and 
blazing  with  summer  heat. 

The  long-horned  white  cattle,  grazing  in  the  fields 
near  the  ruins  of  the  ancient  aqueducts,  raised  their 
massive  heads  as  the  train  whizzed  by.  The  summer 
was  so  far  advanced  in  this  southern  land  that  there 
were  no  more  blossoms,  the  grass  was  already 
brown  with  drought  and  much  sunshine.  Sheep 
were  gathered  together  in  dull  brown  masses  here 
and  there,  and  the  shepherds  sat  near  them,  vainly 
endeavoring  to  shelter  themselves  from  the  burning 
heat. 

Even  then  Janet  felt  the  charm  of  the  landscape, 
the  fascination  of  the  city  into  whose  gate,  through 
the  Aurelian  Wall,  the  train  was  now  entering. 
Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  it  was  here  that  the 
most  intense  suffering  she  had  ever  experienced  had 
come  to  her,  she  loved  Rome,  as  all  do  who  spend 
much  time  within  her  walls.  It  seemed  to  her  as  if 
she  would  be  willing  to  pass  her  entire  life  here,  in 

266 


THE    JESUIT 

this  wonderful  city,  especially  now  that  Fay  was 
there — somewhere.  O,  the  agony  of  uncertainty! 
If  she  might  only  know  where  her  sister  was!  It 
would  be  some  relief  to  her  anxiety. 

The  streets  of  Rome  were  quite  deserted  at  this 
hour,  and  the  pavements  reflected  a  dazzling  light 
which  was  unbearable.  The  cool  entrance  hall  of 
the  Pension  Speranza,  shaded  with  green  Venetian 
blinds,  decorated  with  fresh  green  plants,  seemed 
dark  to  Janet  at  first,  and  it  was  only  after  a  few 
moments  that  she  distinguished  Sir  John's  familiar 
face.  Familiar,  yet  so  grief-stricken  that  she  dared 
not  inquire  for  Lady  Eger. 

"  She  is  still  living,"  he  said,  answering  the  un- 
spoken question,  "  but  very  much  changed.  Are 
you  willing  to  go  to  see  her?  " 

"  Immediately,"  she  replied. 

With  his  usual  thoughtfulness,  Sir  John  had  or- 
dered tea  for  her,  and  he  insisted  upon  her  drinking 
two  cups  of  it  in  the  pleasant  winter  garden.  He 
said  little,  resting  his  head  wearily  on  the  back  of 
the  rattan  chair,  and  often  closing  his  eyes  as  if  in 
pain.  At  that  moment  Janet  felt  for  the  first  time 
since  she  had  known  Sir  John  that  he  was  weaker 
than  she  was  and  needed  her  help. 

"  You  have  finished  ?    Then  we  will  go." 

Janet  followed  Sir  John  into  the  sick  chamber. 
Greatly  changed,  indeed,  was  Lady  Eger,  since  that 
September  day  when  they  had  gone  together  to 
Saint  Peter's  Church,  and  the  English  lady  had 

267 


THE    JESUIT 

reverently  kissed  the  black  marble  toe  of  the  statue. 
The  invalid  was  still  conscious  and  looked  at  Janet, 
when  she  entered,  with  a  glance  of  recognition. 

"  It  is  Miss  Lapeer,  Hortense.  You  wished  to 
see  her.  She  has  been  asking  for  you,  Miss  Lapeer. 
Will  you  be  so  kind  as  to  come  here  by  her  side? 
She  is  very  weak.  Poor  Hortense !  " 

The  big,  strong  brother  put  his  arms  around  her 
light  form  and  raised  her  higher  on  the  pillows. 
She  thanked  him  with  a  grateful  look. 

The  nun  came  forward  to  give  her  patient  some 
medicine,  and  then,  at  a  sign  from  Sir  John,  left  the 
room. 

Either  Janet's  entrance  had  excited  Lady  Eger  or 
the  medicine  had  a  stimulating  effect,  for  she  began 
to  speak,  pausing  occasionally  to  gain  strength. 

"  I — wanted  to  see  you — Janet — for  I  am — 
dying.  When  we  are  near — to — eternity — we  see 
our  faults — and  our  sins — of  the  past — more  clearly. 
Your  sister — " 

She  was  seized  with  a  violent  attack  of  coughing, 
succeeded  by  exhaustion  from  which  it  seemed  im- 
possible for  her  to  rally. 

"  Do  not  try  to  talk,  dear  Lady  Eger,"  Janet  pro- 
tested, but  her  heart  beat  fast  with  anxiety  and  a  ray 
of  hope.  Perhaps  Lady  Eger  could  tell  her  where 
Fay  was ! 

Again  the  dying  woman  made  an  effort  to  speak. 

"  Your  sister — it  was  my  fault — that — she  went 
to — the  convent.  I — meant — to  do — right.  I — see 

268 


THE    JESUIT 


now  that — I  did — wrong — to — you — all.  Pity  me 
— and — forgive  me — if  you — can.  O  God — 
forgive ! " 

She  was  going,  surely  going  out  of  life  now,  with- 
out revealing  the  precious  secret. 

Janet  bent  over  her  in  an  agony  of  suspense,  and 
Sir  John  once  more  raised  his  sister  in  his  arms  that 
she  might  breathe  more  easily. 

"  Hortense,"  he  whispered,  "  tell  us  where  Fay 
Lapeer  is." 

In  a  few  broken  words,  Lady  Eger  gave  the  name 
of  a  well-known  convent  for  cloistered  nuns. 

Janet  took  the  poor,  wasted  hand  in  her  warm, 
strong  ones. 

"  Do  not  grieve,  Lady  Eger.  I  forgive  you 
freely.  It  was  not  you,  but  others  who  did  the 
wrong  and  sinned  against  Fay  and  ourselves." 

Lady  Eger's  eyes  shone  with  new  light. 

"  I — may — be  able — to — atone,"  she  breathed  out 
feebly. 

The  nun  again  entered  the  room,  accompanied  by 
Cardinal  Veroni  and  a  priest.  The  cardinal  shook 
hands  with  Sir  John,  bowed  to  Janet,  spoke  a  few 
words  to  Lady  Eger,  and  prepared  for  the  admin- 
istration of  the  last  sacrament. 

Sir  John  kissed  his  sister's  forehead  gently,  and 
he  and  Janet  left  the  room  while  Lady  Eger  received 
the  last  offices  of  that  Church  to  which  she  had 
chosen  to  belong  and  in  whose  interest  she  had  in- 
fluenced Fay  Lapeer  to  enter  the  convent. 

269 


THE    JESUIT 

"You  will  not  leave  me?"  Sir  John  said,  with 
such  a  piteous  appeal  that  Janet  yielded.  "  You  will 
stay  with  Hortense  and  me  ?  " 

"  I  will  stay.  But  first,  I  must  telephone  to 
mamma.  She  would  be  greatly  worried  if  I  did  not 
return." 

The  light  of  the  long  summer  day  faded  into 
darkness.  Myriad  stars  appeared  in  the  cloudless 
sky,  and,  later,  the  moon  rose  in  full  splendor.  From 
the  streets  there  came  sounds  of  laughter  and  gay 
voices.  Mandolin  players  touched  their  instru- 
ments lightly  and  brought  forth  tinkling,  rippling 
melodies. 

Still,  the  invalid  retained  her  slender  grasp  on  life, 
and  Sir  John  and  Janet  watched  by  her  side. 

The  early  dawn  began  to  break  over  Rome. 
Silvery  mists  hovered  over  the  dome  of  Saint 
Peter's,  and  finally  vanished  as  the  sun  arose. 

Lady  Eger  stirred  and  spoke :  "O,  John,  I — see — 
my — baby !  " 

There  was  an  ineffable  joy  in  her  tone,  the  real- 
ization of  a  long  and  hopeless  craving.  Her  face 
was  transfigured,  and  she  stretched  out  her  arms  to 
clasp  that  for  which  her  whole  being  longed. 

Sir  John  sobbed  aloud.  Janet  placed  her  hand  on 
his  shoulder  to  comfort  him. 

There  was  a  moment  of  silence.  Lady  Eger's 
arms  fell,  helpless,  upon  the  bed.  Her  dark  eyes 
closed,  then  opened  once  more.  She  was  back,  now, 
in  the  days  of  her  childhood,  by  her  mother's  knee. 

270 


THE    JESUIT 

The    intervening    years    had    vanished    from    her 
memory. 

Clearly,   sweetly,  her  voice  was  audible  in  the 
stillness : 

"Gentle  Jesus,  meek  and  mild, 
Look  upon  a  little  child — 
A— little— child— " 

Lady  Eger  was  dead. 


271 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

AFTER  Lady  Eger's  death  Janet  wrote  to  Car- 
dinal Veroni — she  had  not  the  courage  to  call  on 
him  again — telling  him  that  she  had  learned  the 
name  of  the  convent  where  Fay  was,  and  asking 
him,  as  a  last  favor,  to  obtain  for  her  permission 
to  see  her  sister.  It  cost  Janet  a  great  deal  to  be 
forced  to  appeal  for  help  to  one  whom  she  regarded 
as  their  enemy. 

The  reply  from  the  cardinal  was  not  long  delayed. 
It  had  been  extremely  difficult,  even  for  him,  to  get 
permission  for  the  desired  interview.  When  that 
was  secured  Fay  herself  objected,  on  the  ground 
that  the  result  would  be  unsatisfactory  and  would 
cause  pain  to  them  both.  She  was  well  and  happy. 
That  was  all.  Cardinal  Veroni  regretted  that  he 
could  not  do  more  for  one  whom  he  respected  so 
highly  as  he  did  Miss  Lapeer. 

If  Janet  had  had  a  different  nature,  if  she  had 
been  critical  and  satirical,  she  might  have  been 
tempted  to  think  after  this  fashion :  Fay  was  happy 
and  did  not  want  to  be  disturbed  in  her  spiritual 
life.  But  what  of  the  mother,  whose  health  was 
ruined  by  the  sudden  blow,  of  Janet  herself,  in  her 
loneliness,  of  the  man  whose  happiness  had  been 
wrecked?  Did  Fay  give  them  no  thought?  Could 
there  be  a  selfishness  in  religion? 

272 


THE    JESUIT 


Janet's  heart  was  not  bitter  but  loving.  She  wept 
sadly  when  the  cardinal's  note  came,  and  she  prayed 
to  God  for  Fay,  and  for  them  all,  that  he  would 
give  each  of  them  the  needed  strength  to  live  and 
to  endure. 

When  Sir  John  came  to  Frascati  and,  finding  her 
in  the  olive  grove  near  the  hotel,  took  both  her 
hands  in  his  and  looked  into  her  eyes,  there  was  no 
need  of  words  between  them.  She  knew  that  she 
had  loved  him  for  a  long  time  and  that  he  would 
love  her  through  eternity. 

The  sunshine  sifted  through  the  lacy,  light-green 
leaves  of  the  olive  trees  and  rested  on  her  hair, 
turning  it  to  threads  of  gold;  it  flickered  over  her 
gown  and  wove  mystic  designs  upon  it  and  it 
touched  her  face  and  eyes,  and  glorified  them. 

These  two  talked  for  a  long  time  in  the  olive 
grove,  and  it  seemed  as  if  they  had  found  each  other 
only  to  separate.  Janet  was  certain  that  her  mother, 
now  practically  a  nervous  invalid,  would  never  wish 
to  leave  Rome.  Here,  she  could  know  and  feel  that 
she  was  near  Fay,  even  if  it  were  evermore  impossi- 
ble to  see  her. 

Mrs.  Lapeer,  when  she  heard  from  Sir  John  that 
he  desired  to  marry  Janet,  surprised  them  both. 
Awakening  from  the  apathy  into  which  she  had  fallen 
since  Fay  left  them,  she  insisted  that  there  should 
be  no  delay ;  arrangements  for  the  marriage  should 
be  made  at  once.  She  was  feverishly  anxious  that 
one  of  her  daughters  should  be  happy.  She  would 

273 


THE    JESUIT 

go  anywhere,  do  anything  that  Janet  wished,  pro- 
vided that  once  a  year  they  could  return  to  Rome, 
to  be  near  Fay. 

On  account  of  the  complicated  legal  documents 
required  for  a  marriage  in  Italy,  it  was  decided  to 
defer  the  ceremony  until  autumn.  Mrs.  Lapeer  and 
Janet  sailed  from  Naples,  and  Sir  John  went  to 
England  to  attend  to  business  matters  there.  Part 
of  Lady  Eger's  property  had  been  left  to  him,  the 
other  part  going,  by  her  wish,  to  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church.  It  was  to  be  used  in  founding  an 
institution  for  abandoned  children,  and  the  funds 
were  to  be  administered  by  Cardinal  Veroni,  who 
had  full  authority  to  use  his  own  judgment. 

In  October,  Janet  and  Sir  John  were  married  very 
quietly  in  her  mother's  home  in  Clyde. 

The  fact  that  Fay  Lapeer  had  changed  her  faith 
and  entered  a  convent  on  the  eve  of  her  marriage 
with  a  wealthy  Italian  marquis  had  caused  much 
excitement  among  her  friends  in  that  town.  The 
wedding  of  Janet  Lapeer  and  an  English  baronet, 
added  fuel  to  the  fire.  The  newspapers  gave  as 
many  details  as  they  could  find  out  or  invent.  It 
was  a  relief  to  Sir  John  and  Janet  when  they  could 
escape  to  the  ranch  in  California. 

Sir  John's  property  comprised  many  thousands  of 
acres  of  land,  suitable  for  fruit-raising.  To  the 
hundreds  of  workmen  whom  he  employed  he  was 
not  a  baronet  but  plain  John  Hamilton.  With  this 
he  was  quite  content,  being  a  democrat  at  heart, 

274 


THE    JESUIT 

and  a  simple-minded  nobleman  who  loved  all  human 
kind  as  brothers. 

It  would  have  pleased  the  ambitious  soul  of  Mrs. 
Lapeer  to  hear  her  daughter,  Janet,  called  Lady 
Hamilton,  and  it  would  have  gratified  her  even 
more  if  Sir  John  had  chosen  to  live  on  his  ancestral 
estates  in  England,  rather  than  in  California,  where 
he  gloried  in  the  freedom  of  life  and  thought.  In 
the  meantime  the  "  ancestral  estates "  were  well 
cared  for,  and  Sir  John  expected  to  return  to 
England  occasionally,  to  give  them  his  personal 
supervision.  Janet  was  satisfied  to  be  known  as 
"  Mrs.  John  Hamilton,"  by  the  few  neighbors  who 
lived  on  ranches  several  miles  away,  and  was  very 
happy  in  her  new  home,  except  when  she  thought 
of  Fay,  dear  Fay,  far  off  in  Rome. 

Sir  John's  house  was  large,  having  many  rooms, 
furnished  with  every  comfort.  It  was  on  the  broad 
verandas,  however,  that  Mrs.  Lapeer  and  Janet 
spent  most  of  their  time.  On  this  bright  morning, 
the  breakfast  table  was  set  out  in  the  open  air.  Its 
fine  white  linen,  with  dainty  china  and  rare  old 
silver,  heirlooms  in  the  Hamilton  family  for  many 
years,  made  it  very  attractive  to  Sir  John,  coming 
in  from  the  orchards.  A  vase  of  roses  stood  in  the 
center  of  the  table  and  roses  clambered  in  wild 
luxury  over  the  veranda,  drooping  gaily  from  the 
roof  and  winding  themselves  around  the  pillars. 

Janet  gathered  a  bunch  of  them  before  she  sat 
down,  fastening  them  on  her  white  dress. 

275 


THE    JESUIT 

"Your  mother  is  not  coming  down?"  asked  her 
husband. 

"  She  is  tired.  I  have  sent  her  breakfast  to  her. 
Here  comes  Frank,  with  the  mail.  I  will  pour  your 
coffee  while  you  open  the  bag." 

"  Always  in  a  hurry  for  your  letters ! "  he  said, 
teasingly. 

He  became  absorbed  in  his  mail,  and  Janet 
patiently  waited,  glancing  occasionally  at  the 
glimpses  of  rolling  country,  with  masses  of  blos- 
soming trees,  a  huge  flower  garden,  which  she  could 
see  between  the  pillars  and  vines.  Even  the  south- 
ern climate  of  Italy  could  not  produce  such  riotous 
abundance  of  beauty. 

Sir  John  was  unusually  grave  when  he  lifted  his 
face  from  a  copy  of  the  London  Times  and  stretched 
out  his  hand  for  a  cup  of  coffee. 

"  Is  anything  the  matter,  John  ?  "  inquired  Janet, 
quick  to  notice  a  change  in  his  face.  She  grew 
suddenly  very  pale.  "Is  it — Fay?" 

"  No,  dear,  no.  There  is  a  bit  of  news  here  in 
which  you  will  be  interested,  but  it  does  not  concern 
us  personally.  It  can  wait." 

"  And  are  there  no  letters  for  me  ?  " 

"  One  from  Mrs.  Pierce,  I  think."  He  made  no 
move  to  give  it  to  her,  and  she  ate  her  breakfast 
with  little  appetite. 

There  certainly  must  be  something  serious  in 
that  paper,  or  John  would  not  be  so  quiet,  so 
absorbed  in  his  thoughts.  He  had  been  very  cheer- 

276 


THE    JESUIT 

ful  when  he  came  in  from  his  long  walk  through 
one  of  the  orchards. 

"  It  is  this,"  Sir  John  said,  coming  to  her  side 
with  the  paper.  "  It  caught  my  eye  almost  as  soon 
as  I  opened  the  Times.  You  see,  it  is  a  telegram 
from  Rome." 

There  was  not  a  long  paragraph,  but  it  meant 
much  to  Janet,  for  it  brought  back  vividly  all  that 
had  passed  in  Rome. 

"  A  very  sad  accident  occurred  night  before  last. 
In  some  extraordinary  way,  one  of  the  nuns  in  the 

Convent,  fell  from  a  window  and  was  instantly 

killed.  The  matter  was  brought  at  once  to  the  atten- 
tion of  the  police,  who  investigated  the  affair  and 
were  satisfied  that  it  was  not  a  crime  but  an  acci- 
dent. Facts  were  difficult  to  obtain,  but  it  was 
ascertained  that  the  unfortunate  nun  was  a  younger 
sister  of  Marquis  di  Cassini,  a  Deputy  who  is  very 
prominent  in  the  Liberal  party." 

"  An  accident !  "  repeated  Janet.  "  How  could  it 
have  been  an  accident  ?  Do  you  suppose — O,  John ! 
it  might  have  been  Fay !  " 

"  But  it  was  not  Fay.  Open  Mrs.  Pierce's  letter, 
Janet,  and  see  whether  she  says  anything  about  it." 

"  Yes.  '  There  is  such  sad  news,  dear  Janet,  about 
Floria  di  Cassini.  She  was  found  dead  beneath  the 
walls  of  the  convent.  The  papers  call  it  an  accident. 
Perhaps  it  was.  Who  will  ever  know  whether  the 
poor  child  grew  desperate  and — but  it  is  too  horrible 
to  think  of !  Let  us  call  it  an  accident. 

277 


THE     JESUIT 

"  '  My  husband  saw  the  marquis  yesterday.  He 
is  almost  broken-hearted,  but  brave,  as  ever. 

"  '  When  are  you  coming  to  Rome,  Janet?  We 
want  to  see  you.  There  is  so  much  to  talk  about.' ' 

"  It  is  a  very  terrible  thing,"  said  Sir  John,  "  but 
do  not  think  about  it,  Janet." 

"John,"  she  said,  "  when  can  we  go  to  Rome?  " 

"  When  you  like,  my  dear.  I  can  leave  now  as 
well  as  any  time." 

"  I  want  to  go  soon.  When  I  think  of  Fay,  I  get 
desperate.  At  least,  I  should  like  to  be  near  her  for 
a  while." 

Thus  it  happened  that  Sir  John,  Janet,  Mrs. 
Lapeer,  and  faithful  Romilda,  who  had  accompanied 
them  across  ocean  and  continent  to  the  California 
home,  made  their  first  pilgrimage  back  to  Rome. 

The  old  city  was  the  same;  it  had  not  changed. 
Tourists  were  on  the  streets,  the  ruins  were  flooded 
with  sunshine,  veiled  in  filmy  mists  or  white  in  the 
moonlight,  just  as  they  had  been  a  year  before. 
Hundreds  of  priests  walked  the  broad  avenues,  and 
odors  of  incense  floated  out  from  the  open  doors 
of  the  churches. 

Cardinal  Veroni  was  not  in  Rome,  a  man-servant 
told  Sir  John,  when  he  called  at  the  new  home  of  his 
eminence. 

"When  will  he  be  back?" 

"  I  do  not  know,  sir.  He  has  gone  to  Spain  on 
an  important  mission.  The  date  of  his  return  has 
not  yet  been  fixed." 

278 


THE    JESUIT 

No  information  about  Fay  could  be  obtained  from 
Cardinal  Veroni.  Janet  and  her  mother  must  con- 
tinue to  be  patient.  Ah !  it  was  hard — hard. 

Mrs.  Pierce  was  delighted  to  see  Janet  again  and 
poured  out  a  quantity  of  news. 

"  It  is  all  true  about  poor  Floria.  She  is  at  rest, 
and  her  brother  bears  it  wonderfully.  Paolo 
Gregori,  you  remember  the  young  priest,  Janet  ?  " 

"  Very  well." 

"  He  is  preaching  now  and  winning  many  souls 
to  Christ.  You  remember  what  a  hard  time  he 
had  at  first.  It  was  impossible  for  him  to  stay  in 
any  position.  We  all  admired  his  courage  so  much. 
He  never  complained,  although  I  really  think  that 
there  were  days  when  he  had  nothing  to  eat." 

Sir  John  began  to  pace  the  room,  an  old  habit  of 
his,  which  betokened  mental  disturbance. 

"  I  would  have  advanced  him  money,"  he  said, 
impatiently,  as  if  someone  was  to  blame.  "  Nothing 
to  eat !  Poor  lad !  " 

Mrs.  Pierce  smiled. 

"  We  did  not  allow  him  to  suffer,  Sir  John,  but 
we  had  to  beguile  him  in  for  a  meal.  He  would  not 
tell  us  of  his  troubles.  At  last,  the  Marquis  di 
Cassini  found  him  a  place  as  tutor  in  the  family  of 
a  wealthy  Deputy.  The  person  who  had  seemed  to 
persecute  him  suddenly  stopped.  Now,  he  is  study- 
ing theology  and  commencing  to  preach." 

"  Any  news  of  Cardinal  Veroni  ?  "  inquired  Sir 
John.  His  honest  face  had  cleared  once  more. 

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"  Cardinal  Veroni  will  be  a  great  cardinal,  as  he 
was  great  in  his  priestly  profession.  He  has  a  won- 
derful power  over  men,"  said  Mr.  Pierce.  "  I  saw 
him  not  long  ago,  and  he  seemed  to  me  paler  and 
sterner  than  ever.  He  is  now  in  Spain." 

"  So  I  understand.  Janet,  are  you  ready  ?  Let  us 
go,  for  tomorrow  is  Sunday  and  it  will  be  a  hard 
day  for  you." 

The  morrow  was  a  hard  day,  for  it  was  the  center 
and  heart  of  this  sad  pilgrimage  to  Rome. 

Although  the  nuns  in  the  convent  which  Fay  had 
chosen  to  enter  were  not  allowed  to  leave  the  build- 
ing, they  attended  mass  each  Sunday  morning  in  a 
church,  which  was  open  to  the  public,  but  had  a 
special  entrance  on  the  other  side,  into  the  convent. 
As  they  sat  in  the  gallery,  thick  lattice-work  hid 
them  from  the  curious  gaze  of  the  worshipers.  A 
shimmer  of  white  shone  through  the  close  iron 
grating;  that  was  the  only  sign  of  their  presence. 
Silently  they  entered,  knelt  in  silent  prayer,  and 
silently  left  the  gallery  when  the  mass  was  finished. 

Janet  and  her  husband  went  to  that  church  on 
Sunday  morning.  It  was  a  comfort  even  to  catch 
the  gleam  of  white  robes  through  the  lattice  work. 
Perhaps  Fay  was  there,  living,  praying!  So  close, 
and  yet  separated  as  completely  from  her  sister  as 
if  an  ocean  rolled  between  them. 

At  sunset,  they  went  again.  This  time,  Mrs. 
Lapeer  gathered  up  her  strength  and  accompanied 
them;  for  this  was  an  important  and  final  part  of 

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THE    JESUIT 


their  pilgrimage.  Once  each  year,  they  would  come 
to  this  little  church  at  eventime,  when  the  light  grew 
dim  and  the  sweet  voices  of  the  nuns  sang  with  a 
melody  which  was  little  less  than  heavenly. 

Hand  in  hand,  Janet  and  her  mother  sat  on  the 
hard,  wooden  bench  and  listened  to  the  invisible 
choir.  One  voice  was  clearer,  purer  than  the  others. 
It  might  be  Fay,  pouring  out  her  soul  in  the  music ! 
Did  it  mean  peace  or  sorrow  ?  For  her  sake,  Janet 
prayed  that  it  might  mean  peace. 

Had  she  forgotten  them,  her  mother  and  sister, 
who  had  loved  her  so  dearly  and  cared  for  her  so 
tenderly  ?  In  the  secluded  life  that  she  was  leading, 
separated  from  those  duties  which  God  had  placed 
before  her,  and  which  she  had,  of  her  own  free  will, 
refused  to  perform,  was  she  happy  and  contented, 
or  was  she  restless,  like  a  bird  beating  its  wings 
against  the  iron  bars  of  its  cage  ? 

Who  could  tell !  Behind  that  lattice  work,  within 
the  walls  of  the  convent,  there  were  soul-mysteries 
which  only  God  could  solve. 

The  voices  rose  higher  and  higher,  richer  and 
fuller,  in  a  grand  burst  of  melody;  then  died  away 
into  silence. 

Darkness  shrouded  the  little  church;  the  few 
candles  on  the  altar  burned  with  greater  brilliancy 
in  front  of  the  painting  of  our  Lord's  mother. 

Sir  John  assisted  Mrs.  Lapeer  down  the  stone 
steps  and  into  the  carriage.  As  he  was  following 
Janet,  to  take  his  seat  opposite  the  ladies,  he  caught 

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sight  of  a  familiar  face.  It  was  the  Marquis  di 
Cassini.  Every  Sunday  evening,  when  he  was  in 
Rome,  he  came  to  this  old  church  and  listened  to  the 
singing  of  the  nuns.  Motionless  in  the  shadows  he 
sat,  hoping  that  he  might  hear  Fay's  voice.  It  made 
life  a  little  easier  to  feel  that,  possibly,  he  was  near 
the  woman  he  loved. 

The  sight  of  the  marquis  and  of  Janet's  tear- 
stained  face  aroused  good  Sir  John  to  a  feeling  of 
exasperation.  How  could  this  separation  of  daugh- 
ter from  mother,  of  sister  from  sister,  of  wife  from 
husband,  be  right  before  God? 

Each  year  the  pilgrimage  to  Rome  would  take 
place  as  long  as  Fay  should  live.  They  would  sit 
in  the  semidarkness,  listening,  longing  for  her  who 
could  not  come  to  them,  from  whom  they  were 
divided  by  a  gulf  as  wide  as  death. 

The  nuns  sing  on  at  eventime,  and  the  churches 
are  crowded  with  tourists  to  see  gorgeous  func- 
tions and  hear  exquisite  music. 

Rome,  the  Eternal,  with  her  ruined  palaces  of  the 
Caesars,  her  Forum,  her  Coliseum,  stained  with  the 
blood  of  martyrs  who  died  for  their  pure  and  holy 
faith,  and  her  precious  memories  of  the  great 
apostle,  continues  to  draw  the  world  to  her,  as  she 
has  done  for  centuries. 

And  the  master-weavers  are  still  busy  at  the  web, 
whose  strands  are  as  soft  as  silk  and  as  strong  as 
steel. 


282 


